Prev Next
Featured Quizzes
Politix Daily Headlines
Featured Debates
Issues

See all 17 issues

People
White House

See all people

LEAKS

Senate Kills Anti-Leak Law Because of White House Worries

Would the anti-leak law have reduced government transparency?

Next>

by PolitixMayday

Staff Writer t

Image: AP

Concerns from the White House have led the Senate Intelligence Committee to drop several anti-leak measures from the 2013 Intelligence Authorization Act on Friday. The worries, according to Politico, had little to do with nurturing transparency, and a lot more to do with having effective anti-leak rules in place.

The measures, Politico reports, would've banned background and off-the-record briefings by low-level government officials to the media, require intelligence agents to report all contact with the media, and allow the government to strip pensions from anyone found to be negligent in protecting classified information, even if the breach wasn't criminal in nature.

Those measures would've affected the entire intelligence community, except the White House, according to Politico.

Transparency advocates are cautiously satisfied with the measures being dropped. The Sunshine in Government Initiative told Politico that the measures would've had too much of a negative impact on news reporting, but expect similar measures to make a return next year.

Via Politico
Like this article? B Vote Up
?

Do we need a new law to prevent leaks of classified information?

View results

Comments (view in Forum)

  • jmann88
    !
    It depends on how important that info is that is leaked. Tell people to keep their mouths shut and if they can't punish them with heavy fines.
  • DogLady_1
    !
    "All the public business in Congress now connects itself with intrigues, and there is great danger that the whole government will degenerate into a struggle of cabals." -John Quincy Adams

    "What is national security, if not the vitality of its democratic institutions that would be hobbled by secrecy?" -Steven Aftergood

    "Everything secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity." -Lord Acton

    "The Press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of the government and inform the people. Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government. And paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people." -Justice hugo Black
  • DogLady_1
    !
    @PoliticalSpice - Yeah, I have a serious collection of quotes. I use them when I couldn't say something better myself...
  • FFX_VA
    !
    We need an anti-leak law, but it must include everyone, including the White House. Pulling pensions gave the proposed law teeth, but that's a awful big stick for a non-criminal incident; fines would be better for minor infractions.

    This idea has merit, but the proposed implementation was flawed. It needs to be all inclusive, include intermediary levels of punishment, and any law of this type must also facilitate transparency of government actions where proper. Governing the protection of information and sharing of information go hand-in-hand.
  • FFX_VA
    !
    @PoliticalSpice There are whistle blower programs. Most leaks are politically or financially motivated though, not corruption.
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    @FFX_VA whistle blower laws provide financial compensation, but do not cover every situation. And no matter the motivation, if govt is doing something wrong leaks are the most common way these things get exposed...
  • FFX_VA
    !
    @PoliticalSpice Yes, but more leaks are done because of ego trips or the news compensating someone rather than outing true corruption. Problem is "wrong" is really shades of gray, my wrong might be your ok, or vice versa. That's where spin comes in and it gets messy.
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    @FFX_VA true, but I'd rather have information come out then not come out. Govt classifies things that are trivial, they classify to avoid embarassment. 98% of what is classified has nothing to do with on going military or diplomatic purposes. We pay for govt, we should be allowed to know what they do with our money, supposedly on our behalf. The founders created the first amnd for that very purpose.
  • o
    Sharpshooter
    !
    We need to control LEAKS but we also need to hold the Axelshaft/Jarrett Junta to their boy's campaign promise of Transparency....

    The Junta is about as transparent as a lead lined box and with someone in power willing to do ANYTHING to remain in power that is a dangerous proposition.

    We need our government to be like a crystal pitcher.... transparent and watertight.

    El presidente' uses "Security" as a tool to cover his ass, a weapon against people who ask difficult questions he doesn't want to answer. Fast and Furious Executive Privilege for his Shyster General? That is abuse of power.

    The White House worries? About what exactly.... worries that only the information the Junta decides to leak to their network propagandists rather than facts making their boy look bad....

    It's really bad to have a puppet in the White House.... worse that we didn't even get the entertaining Howdy Doody, instead we got Phineas T. Bluster with a perversion of Clarabell The Clown who isn't mute , just incapable of INTELLIGENT Speach.
  • PNWest
    !
    It is too easy for the government to cover up thing that embarrass themselves but have nothing to do with national security. This has always been a problem. They screw up and then scream national security in order to not be held accountable.
  • marine1
    !
    I think that there should be a reward paid for all information leaked that identifies goverment corruption,theft and mismanagement.
  • PNWest
    !
    @marine1 I think that the IRS has a similar program where if you rat out a tax cheat you get something like 10% of whatever they recover. I'm sick and tired of these powerful politicians screwing over the public and then getting away with covering it all up. This goes beyond party lines. It is just a basic question of right and wrong.

  • View all 7 replies >

  • Dan_Tien
    !
    "...the measures would've had too much of a negative impact on news reporting,"
    As if news reporting isn't negative enough already. I still remember CNN cameras lighting up camouflaged Navy SEALS as they landed on the beach at night in Somalia. News reporting and the leakers who feed it can be completely irresponsible.
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    If they are doing it with my tax money, I have a right to know about it, period. Bradley Manning and julian Wikileaks are heros. Charges against manning should be dropped and wikileaks should get the noble prize for exposing the u.s. military murdering journalist in Iraq.
  • raven2099
    !
    Everyone should be 100% honest all the time.. same goes for corperations, governments, indeviuals and everythng....

    Imagine the mass hysteria that would follow
  • Josh-n-ya
    !
    Wouldn't it great if you could just tell your boss/employer its none of your business what i'm doing... we are their boss we have a right to know what they are doing