DRUDGE HEADLINE: "NYT: Obama using Espionage Act to 'silence and prosecute federal workers"

by BlueMax372 Posted 2012/02/27 18:50:40

Related Topics: Obama, White House, The White House, ABC News, Obama Administration, Correspondent, ABC, United States, Associated Press, Media, Nyt, Syria, Press Secretary, Court, Federal Workers

Read More

Read all 23 opinions

By David Carr

Last Wednesday in the White House briefing room, the administration’s press secretary, Jay Carney, opened on a somber note, citing the deaths of Marie Colvin and Anthony Shadid, two reporters who had died “in order to bring truth” while reporting in Syria.

Enlarge This Image

Randy Sager/ABC

Jake Tapper of ABC News questioned the Obama administration's efforts to prosecute officials.

Enlarge This Image

Timothy Jacobsen/Associated Press

Thomas A. Drake, a former employee of the National Security Agency, was prosecuted under the Espionage Act last year.

Jake Tapper, the White House correspondent for ABC News, pointed out that the administration had lauded brave reporting in distant lands more than once and then asked, “How does that square with the fact that this administration has been so aggressively trying to stop aggressive journalism in the United States by using the Espionage Act to take whistle-blowers to court?”

He then suggested that the administration seemed to believe that “the truth should come out abroad; it shouldn’t come out here.”

+15

BUCCANEER~POTL~PWCM~JLA 2012/02/27 19:15:37

+9
>> See Replies

More polls by BlueMax372

DefendnProtect 2012/02/29 22:39:41

Why not?

Banking cartel and crony friends want easy foreclosures. No trouble makers.

http://wakeupfromyourslumber....

reply
Arel 2012/02/29 19:29:40 (edited)

+1
He has used it against reporters because the truth can't be reported when it goes against the Administration.

reply
Brian 2012/02/29 10:44:30

+2
The Obama administration is testing the law on whistle blower Fed. employees, Next it will be the public at large. You know because ANYONE who disagrees with the President is obviously a threat to the security of the country, entry Homeland Security.

reply
safari 2012/02/29 08:21:41

+2
This is so dangerous! When I read things like this I want to grab every idiot liberal I see and just shake them until they wake UP! They don't get it that they are just as threatened by what their Fuhrer Obama does as we are.

reply
Prairie Wind 2012/02/29 06:04:51 (edited)

+1
I'm thinking one must first agree to comply with the terms of the Espionage Act they can be subject to the constraints of the Act. Next, It was originally found in Title 50 of the U.S. Code (War) but is now found under Title 18, Crime. Specifically it is 18 U.S.C. §792 et seq http://www.law.cornell.edu/us...
and third, to apply the constraints of the Act, requires a breach of that current code for only that which is currently defined.

Basically, it's an agreement that you won't divulge classified information to those whom DO NOT "have a need to know" and whom HAVE NOT FIRST been confirmed having levels of security clearance access previously established.

Wikipedia has this link for the "Espionage Act of 1917" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

reply
★Calliope★ 2012/02/28 05:59:23

+2
One of the first casualties in Obama's tenure - the whistleblower - Inspector General Gerald Walpin
Chicago Politics = business as usual.

I hate this corrupt bunch of lowlife scum.

reply
☆56lady☆POTL~JLA~PWCM 2012/02/27 22:07:37

+3
Wow congrats to Jake Tapper

reply
JT For Political Reform 2012/02/27 21:26:07

+5
He can't handle the truth.

reply
modernminuteman 2012/02/27 20:27:32

+5
and it is only getting worse. every time obama breaks the law and congress does nothing about it he gets bolder. we can't even get congress to remove holder let alone the muslim in chief.all us vets and anyone patriotic are on watch lists and if obama wins election again i would not be surprised if he tries putting a lot of us in fema camps or worse. i wish we could all organize into one huge organization with the sole purpose of protecting our constitution. similar to the teaparty but not in 500 different groups and willing to what ever it takes.

reply
BlueMax372 to modernm... 2012/02/27 22:04:07

+4
I'm aboard, shipmate, and I'd imagine there are a hell of a lot more of us.

reply
Nightmusic to modernm... 2012/02/28 02:45:48
safari to modernm... 2012/02/29 08:22:43

+1
agree

reply
Balladeer-PWCM-POTL 2012/02/27 19:50:03

+6
we all knew this was coming....and the people of this once great country...

reply
BlueMax372 2012/02/27 19:34:29

+6
Tapper just went up about 20 points in my book!

reply
modernm... to BlueMax372 2012/02/27 20:28:37

+3
he is one of the few who ask tough questions for sure.

reply
doofiegirl POTL~PWCM~JLA 2012/02/27 19:22:49

+7
Tapper better take his coat off and check to see if there is a target pinned on!!

reply
Temlakos~POTL~PWCM~JLA~☆ 2012/02/27 19:19:43

+7
And this wasn't supposed to come from a Democrat, was it?

reply
Walt 2012/02/27 19:16:21

+4
This is the kind of behavior one would expect from a Banana Republic dictator.

reply
Kerri to Walt 2012/02/27 19:24:13 (edited)

+3
Ve haf ways to silence people!
http://biggovernment.com/cowe...

In January and February of this year, the Internal Revenue Service began sending out letters to various local Tea Parties across the country.

reply
BlueMax372 to Walt 2012/02/27 19:33:37

+3
That's EXACTLY what we've got!

reply
BUCCANEER~POTL~PWCM~JLA 2012/02/27 19:15:37

+9

reply
CUDDLY BUT STILL CRABBY 2012/02/27 18:53:40

+9
Here's that hope and change you dimwits voted for.

Blame no one but yourselves.

reply
modernm... to CUDDLY ... 2012/02/27 20:31:39

+5
too bad obama's actions affect us as well as the dimwitts who voted for him.

reply