Obama: ‘No Apologies’ For Investigating Leaks Of Classified Information

[DirkGently]

97. Actually, the horseshit is all yours.

What you and others are carefully tap-dancing around are

1. The insanely broad scope of the records subpoenaed. They captured reporters' personal phones for months. The captured records from the Congressional press gallery. AP's entire reporting machinery was watched. It's overbroad, and it's chilling to freedom of the press

2. It appears DOJ violated its own guidelines, which call for speaking to press agencies and reporters whenever possible before seeking information. There was no need for this to be a secret search -- AP isn't the enemy.

3. The suggestion that AP outed a CIA agent is an utter canard. All AP revealed was that the bomb had been captured. A government official later stated that the bomb had always been under control. Taken together, this suggested there was a mole (a UK mole, not CIA) in a Yemeni Al Quaeda cell. There is zero parallel between that and Dick & Scooter outing Plame.

4. This kind of pursuit of leaks is not in opposition to leaks like Cheney's -- it's the other side of the same dirty coin. The Obama administration leaks like a fire hydrant when it wants information -- like the drone killing of a terrorist -- out in public. Then it comes down like a hammer on leaks it doesn't like. The result in both cases is the same: the press is intimidated and the public doesn't get to know what the government is up to.

There's no certainty the subpoenas were not unconstitutional. They weren't vetted by a court, and the First Amendment trumps executive power every time.

It is despicable to see people trying to minimize this attack on the press. This is exactly the kind of "horseshit" Dems and progressives are supposed to oppose.