Two U.S. attorneys will lead a pair of criminal investigations
already under way into possible unauthorized disclosures of classified
information within the executive and legislative branches of government,
Attorney General Eric Holder said Friday.
The announcement of the appointments followed President Barack Obama’s denial that the White House had deliberately leaked classified national security information that was flattering to him in this election year, calling such allegations “offensive” and “wrong.” He promised investigations into the source of leaks about U.S. involvement in cyber-attacks on Iran and drone strikes on suspected terrorists.
Recent news articles contained details of U.S. involvement in a partially successful computer virus attack on Iran’s nuclear program and on the selection of targets for counterterrorism assassination plots. The leaked information generally painted Obama as a decisive and hands-on commander in chief, and Republican critics suggested the leaks were orchestrated to boost Obama’s re-election bid.
Obama said his critics “need to have a better sense of how I approach this office and how the people around me here approach this office.”
“We’re dealing with issues that can touch on the safety and security of the American people, our families or our military personnel or our allies, and so we don’t play with that,” he told reporters at a news conference.
In a statement issued hours after Obama’s remarks, Holder said he was confident that the prosecutors would follow the facts and evidence wherever they led.
“The unauthorized disclosure of classified information can compromise the security of this country and all Americans, and it will not be tolerated,” he said.
The announcement of the appointments followed President Barack Obama’s denial that the White House had deliberately leaked classified national security information that was flattering to him in this election year, calling such allegations “offensive” and “wrong.” He promised investigations into the source of leaks about U.S. involvement in cyber-attacks on Iran and drone strikes on suspected terrorists.
Recent news articles contained details of U.S. involvement in a partially successful computer virus attack on Iran’s nuclear program and on the selection of targets for counterterrorism assassination plots. The leaked information generally painted Obama as a decisive and hands-on commander in chief, and Republican critics suggested the leaks were orchestrated to boost Obama’s re-election bid.
Obama said his critics “need to have a better sense of how I approach this office and how the people around me here approach this office.”
“We’re dealing with issues that can touch on the safety and security of the American people, our families or our military personnel or our allies, and so we don’t play with that,” he told reporters at a news conference.
In a statement issued hours after Obama’s remarks, Holder said he was confident that the prosecutors would follow the facts and evidence wherever they led.
“The unauthorized disclosure of classified information can compromise the security of this country and all Americans, and it will not be tolerated,” he said.
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