Turn About Is Fair Play
The Justice Department has opened up an investigation into how the NYTimes came to learn the details of the NSA program.Notice how the AP phrases the reaction to the NSA spying scandal:
The story unleashed a firestorm of criticism of the administration. Some critics accused the president of breaking the law by authorizing intercepts of conversations -- without prior court approval or oversight -- of people inside the United States and abroad who had suspected ties to al-Qaida or its affiliates.Interesting that they leave out the firestorm of criticism directed against the NYTimes for releasing the story, as well as the fact that the existence of this program and the President's defense of it appeared to lift Bush's poll rating numbers.
Michelle Malkin comments: The chickens will be coming home to roost at the Times, which crusaded loudly for a special prosecutor in Plamegate. Any bets on how long it will take for Eric Lichtblau and James Risen to roll over? I'd guess a few weeks after Risen's book launch.
Yep, I predicted that point a while ago: Let's see how James Risen likes his jail cell when he refuses to divulge the name of the agent who tipped him off illegally. Because you know if it goes against the policy of the current US Administration, Risen is not going to squawk.
As Macranger puts it: When the President of the United States presumes something is taking place, that's "Washington Speak" for it had better be damn well underway.
Heh!
He also reports that other leaks - such as into the CIA Prison leak - are also under way.
And about time.
Not incidentally, that may be the reason Dana Priest forgot to include much information in her leak today - perhaps she doesn't want to be warming up a prison cell herself.
Strata-Sphere point out, based on this Newsday story that the NSA initiated the probe - and that CNN is reporting that many inside the government feel the leak has severely impacted intelligence efforts.
posted by Alcibiades @ 11:18 AM
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