General Discussion

DirkGently

(12,151 posts)

36. That's already the way the administration is (mis)using the law.

Mon Jul 29, 2013, 02:13 PM

Jul 2013

Thomas Drake didn't "harm" the U.S. or "help" its "enemies." He exposed NSA law breaking after attempting to follow the chain of command. They kicked down his door with an assault team like he an Al Quaeda cell commander and charged him under the Espionage Act for "willfully retaining" a handful of memos that weren't even classified. This was in 2010, after Bush was gone.

The Obama administration is abusing the Espionage Act, in a historically unprecedented way, for the specific purpose of terrorizing whistleblowers who release information which simply might *embarass* the government.

It's completely out of bounds and unacceptable, and it is the precise flavor of wildly self-interested legal interpretation we all found so appalling during the Bush administration.

This needs to be fixed NOW, because it sure won't get better under the next Republican executive.

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Fed Court: Just changed interpretation of Espionage Act to cover leaks that are NOT Harmful To USA [View all] kpete Jul 2013 OP

WhistleBlowers take note...... think Jul 2013 #1

use kpete Jul 2013 #11

And people wonder why Whistle Blowers are now seeking political asylum elsewhere. sabrina 1 Jul 2013 #56

And the few journalists we have left. nt tsuki Jul 2013 #73

+ 1. n/t truedelphi Jul 2013 #76

Are the people free? populistdriven Jul 2013 #102

Jesus H. Christ. We are really going downhill now. Th1onein Jul 2013 #2

Good fucking god. woo me with science Jul 2013 #3

"Criminalizing Investigative Journalism" GiaGiovanni Jul 2013 #17

One circuit disagrees with another and you think this means the Republic will msanthrope Jul 2013 #21

True, but hueymahl Jul 2013 #33

Wait a second--Stephen Kim is not press. He has no civil right to leak documents msanthrope Jul 2013 #65

Our news sources will revert to society pages snappyturtle Jul 2013 #51

Is there a reporter being charged? nt msanthrope Jul 2013 #66

None that I know of .....yet. Look there is a reason snappyturtle Jul 2013 #72

i was just about to say arely staircase Jul 2013 #90

I blame Obama for Article III courts. nt msanthrope Jul 2013 #91

Bingo! +1 for you & K&R for the thread. Egalitarian Thug Jul 2013 #28

+1 nashville_brook Jul 2013 #81

But this is the most transparent presidency ever. cui bono Jul 2013 #94

It's shocking really............nt Enthusiast Jul 2013 #95

Fixed it. All good points. SlimJimmy Jul 2013 #96

This is how they do it. Fantastic Anarchist Jul 2013 #98

Oh, but chess! Freedom!!!! djean111 Jul 2013 #4

This is indefensible... absolutely indefensible. hlthe2b Jul 2013 #5

True, but that's not going enlightenment Jul 2013 #27

Say goodbye to what is left of our free press woo me with science Jul 2013 #6

This message was self-deleted by its author woo me with science Jul 2013 #18

Holy Shit leftstreet Jul 2013 #7

Don't worry people Capt. Obvious Jul 2013 #8

Let's hope it's a Pro /nt Bragi Jul 2013 #13

^^Someone read my thoughts....^^ hlthe2b Jul 2013 #16

Just saying avaistheone1 Jul 2013 #9

What were Obama's actions in regard to this ruling? Scurrilous Jul 2013 #22

Obama loves whistleblowers. avaistheone1 Jul 2013 #29

LOL Scurrilous Jul 2013 #60

You asked what Obama has been doing. delrem Jul 2013 #110

now thats good rtracey Jul 2013 #42

Love your kabuki dance avaistheone1 Jul 2013 #46

Hooray for the land of the free. progressoid Jul 2013 #10

But, but....we are at war with Eastasia!! AgingAmerican Jul 2013 #12

Always. n/t DirkGently Jul 2013 #103

Just waiting. Savannahmann Jul 2013 #14

Clarity at last! Whistleblowing =Treason Bragi Jul 2013 #15

+100000 woo me with science Jul 2013 #20

Different circuits, different rulings. Let's hope there's an appeal and SCOTUS msanthrope Jul 2013 #19

I don't want the current Roberts' court deciding stuff like this. reusrename Jul 2013 #37

As opposed the Rhenquist one? All the more reason make sure the person picking msanthrope Jul 2013 #68

I'd take O'Conner back in a heartbeat. reusrename Jul 2013 #69

regarding o'conner arely staircase Jul 2013 #92

You can try treestar Jul 2013 #99

I see their reasoning -- it's like not revealing who our enemies are starroute Jul 2013 #23

Good points. JDPriestly Jul 2013 #48

What you've described is the reality of "system maintenance" JDPriestly. n/t bobthedrummer Jul 2013 #70

The government must be doing a lot of shit they really don't want us to know about. winter is coming Jul 2013 #24

EXACTLY kpete Jul 2013 #25

They're out to get you. Scurrilous Jul 2013 #26

In nakedly intimidating investigative journalists and whistle-blowers, Vanje Jul 2013 #82

Someone had a post about how much "They Fear Us." KoKo Jul 2013 #55

This needs to stay on top. nt woo me with science Jul 2013 #30

K&R. MotherPetrie Jul 2013 #31

Looks like it is time to update the enemies list.... AngryAmish Jul 2013 #32

This judge used to serve on the FISA court. QC Jul 2013 #34

Thanks for that information. I had no idea Catherina Jul 2013 #38

This from the wikipedia.org link: snappyturtle Jul 2013 #47

Thanks, there's no justice left Catherina Jul 2013 #59

And, look at these Rulings-A bit of a mixed bag with her. Wiki isn't always complete KoKo Jul 2013 #63

That might explain, much. She's covering her OWN Butt! KoKo Jul 2013 #58

Fuck... WillyT Jul 2013 #35

That's already the way the administration is (mis)using the law. DirkGently Jul 2013 #36

"This needs to be fixed NOW, because it sure won't get better under the next Republican executive." Vanje Jul 2013 #84

I don't get it. It's a compliment to Obama that anyone DirkGently Jul 2013 #85

Since the executive branch uses the threat of prosecution under the Espionage Act to JDPriestly Jul 2013 #39

There's so much wrong with this I don't know where to start. snappyturtle Jul 2013 #40

The 1% are bolting the Doors, bvar22 Jul 2013 #41

Rec n/t AnotherMcIntosh Jul 2013 #79

more hope and change- well it is change leftyohiolib Jul 2013 #43

This makes sense shawn703 Jul 2013 #44

So you think intentions are crimes now? Waiting For Everyman Jul 2013 #54

Where have you been? shawn703 Jul 2013 #61

Maybe Waiting For Everyman Jul 2013 #62

Thought police, what? shawn703 Jul 2013 #64

I guess you haven't noticed the directional drift lately Waiting For Everyman Jul 2013 #71

The OP was about whether disclosing secrets shawn703 Jul 2013 #75

In 2008, bvar22 Jul 2013 #86

If it weren't for the Snowden case, would we even know about this now? Waiting For Everyman Jul 2013 #45

Agree with what you say. And this is a really bad decision. KoKo Jul 2013 #52

Goodness knows I can't stand the surveillance state. BlueCheese Jul 2013 #49

Obama's war on whistleblowers is what he'll be remembered for davidn3600 Jul 2013 #50

"to the advantage of a foreign nation" covers almost anything muriel_volestrangler Jul 2013 #53

Well, yes. Jonathan Pollard is no less guilty because he gave material to an ally. nt msanthrope Jul 2013 #67

K&R n/t myrna minx Jul 2013 #57

K&R nt snappyturtle Jul 2013 #74

Sure why not. Rex Jul 2013 #77

kick woo me with science Jul 2013 #78

Kick. Good god. woo me with science Jul 2013 #80

On a rocket sled to Hell...By the way, anyone going to Costco? Safetykitten Jul 2013 #83

Requiring the Government to prove stuff is like UnAmerican and stuff. kenny blankenship Jul 2013 #87

KICK woo me with science Jul 2013 #88

Oh, I'll kick! nt Vanje Jul 2013 #89

+1 woo me with science Jul 2013 #105

Kick !!! WillyT Jul 2013 #93

'Double standard' in White House leak inquiries? muriel_volestrangler Jul 2013 #97

The ruling only applies in this case Progressive dog Jul 2013 #100

bin Laden won the 'war on terror'. n/t earthside Jul 2013 #101

Government protecting itself against we the people finding out the truth. L0oniX Jul 2013 #104

Kick woo me with science Jul 2013 #106

MORE: kpete Jul 2013 #107

Please make this an OP. woo me with science Jul 2013 #108

I care, you care, a few more out there, I have been screaming at the top of my..... kpete Jul 2013 #109

Bradley manning looked *very* pale, and distressed, delrem Jul 2013 #112

Kick! nt snappyturtle Jul 2013 #111