"I'm amused," Attorney General William Barr told CBS News' Jan Crawford, "By these people who make a living disclosing classified information, including the names of intelligence operatives, wringing their hands about whether I'm going to be responsible in protecting intelligence sources and methods."
He went on after further questions, "Well, the media reaction is strange. Normally the media would be interested in letting the sunshine in and finding out what the truth is. And usually the media doesn't care that much about protecting intelligence sources and methods. But I do and I will."
Accordingly, successive administrations, up to and including George W. Bush's, have declined to prosecute news media for publishing stories, including leaks of classified information, that seem clearly forbidden by the words of Woodrow Wilson's Espionage Act.
James Risen, co-byliner on the Times's original Swift story, wrote in December 2016 that the Obama administration "Has prosecuted nine cases involving whistleblowers and leakers, compared with only three by all previous administrations combined."
You're not supposed to say "Spying," apparently, even though Democrats and media such as the Times have routinely used that word as a conveniently short and understandable synonym for government surveillance.
Barr is old enough to remember when liberals did not take government legal or intelligence agencies' word that spying on an administration's opponents was justified, when they did not attack those who questioned it as unpatriotic.
It's good that he's willing to ask questions most of the media doesn't want asked, to determine how the Obama law enforcement and intelligence agencies set about spying on the opposite party's presidential campaign.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/william-barr-is-asking-questions-the-media-doesnt-want-asked
He went on after further questions, "Well, the media reaction is strange. Normally the media would be interested in letting the sunshine in and finding out what the truth is. And usually the media doesn't care that much about protecting intelligence sources and methods. But I do and I will."
Accordingly, successive administrations, up to and including George W. Bush's, have declined to prosecute news media for publishing stories, including leaks of classified information, that seem clearly forbidden by the words of Woodrow Wilson's Espionage Act.
James Risen, co-byliner on the Times's original Swift story, wrote in December 2016 that the Obama administration "Has prosecuted nine cases involving whistleblowers and leakers, compared with only three by all previous administrations combined."
You're not supposed to say "Spying," apparently, even though Democrats and media such as the Times have routinely used that word as a conveniently short and understandable synonym for government surveillance.
Barr is old enough to remember when liberals did not take government legal or intelligence agencies' word that spying on an administration's opponents was justified, when they did not attack those who questioned it as unpatriotic.
It's good that he's willing to ask questions most of the media doesn't want asked, to determine how the Obama law enforcement and intelligence agencies set about spying on the opposite party's presidential campaign.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/william-barr-is-asking-questions-the-media-doesnt-want-asked
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