08/06/2017 / By JD Heyes
After President Donald J. Trump publicly chided Attorney General Jeff Sessions last week for not doing enough to go after leakers of classified information, the head of the Justice Department announced Friday a new concentrated effort to find those responsible.
As reported by Zero Hedge, Sessions — at a press conference — essentially declared war on the leakers and the media that has been publishing information which they have obtained thanks to highly illegal actions. But since most all of the leaked information has been damaging to the president — right in line with the disgustingly dishonest “mainstream” media’s and the Deep State’s agenda — establishment outlets have gleefully complied.
“I strongly agree with the president and condemn in the strongest terms the staggering number of leaks undermining the ability of our government to protect this country,” Sessions said. “Criminals who would illegally use their access to our most sensitive information to endanger our national security are, in fact, being investigated, and will be prosecuted.”
Sessions added that since January when the Trump administration took over, the Justice Department has tripled the number of active investigations into leaks of classified and sensitive information. That rings true, given that the number of leaks coming from government officials within the Deep State bureaucracy is unprecedented in the era of Trump.
“I have this message for our friends in the intelligence community: The Department of Justice is open for business, and I have this warning for would-be leakers — don’t do it,” he said, adding that the department was currently reviewing policies and statutes regarding “media subpoenas.”
Adding that while the department respects the press’ constitutional free speech and vital role in a free society, reporters and media outlets do not have the right to endanger the American people through the publication of highly sensitive information that either puts the country at risk or makes it impossible for the administration to govern.
“We respect the important role the press plays and we’ll give them respect, but it’s not unlimited,” Sessions said. “They cannot place lives at risk with impunity. We must balance the press’ role with protecting our national security and the lives of those who serve in the intelligence community, the Armed Forces, and all law-abiding Americans.”
In a follow-up interview with the Financial Times, Sessions said, “We are taking a stand. This culture of leaking must stop.
“These leaks hurt our country. Every agency — and Congress — must do better,” he said.
Clearly, the administration is throwing down a gauntlet here, and not a moment too soon. There have been some suggestions that world leaders, following the Washington Post’s publication of full transcripts earlier this week of Trump’s conversations with the Australian and Mexican heads of state, have left them wary of being open and honest with him.
A report in The Hill quoted Dan Coates, the director of national intelligence, as issuing his own ominous warning: “If you improperly disclose classified information, we will find you, we will investigate you, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. You will not be happy with the result.
“Any disclosure outside of authorized channels is a criminal offense, and we will simply not tolerate the illegal release of classified information,” he added.
Sessions’ and Coates’ warning comes amid the publication of scores of leaks — not all of which have turned out to be true by the way — in the months before and after Trump was inaugurated. Much of the leaking has fed the so far false narrative of Trump campaign “collusion” with Russia to “steal the election” from Hillary Clinton. (Related: Tucker Carlson says that ‘Deep State’ leaks are ‘perversion’ of our system and are designed to bring down Trump.)
But at times the leaks have been so distracting they have taken the president off-message and given the Republican-controlled Congress an excuse not to do what they were elected to do, namely repeal and replace Obamacare and tax reform. Plus, they have endangered national security.
Soon, however, if the Sessions initiative is effective, the leaks will finally dry up to a trickle after a few people are made examples of, which may include members of the press.
J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.
Sources include:
Tagged Under:
Attorney General, crackdown, Dan Coates, deep state, intelligence community, Jeff Sessions, leaks, President Donald J. Trump, prosecutions
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