GOP Lawmakers Demand Probe of ABC News Story

[sabra]

Source: ABC News Blotter

A group of House Republicans are calling for an investigation into "the release of sensitive information" in a recent ABC News report on CIA covert activities against Iran.

In a carefully worded request, seven House GOP lawmakers led by Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., asked the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to "look into the releasing of sensitive information and its impact on the security of our nation, the performance of our government agencies, and the viability of our diplomatic relationships overseas."

Citing an ABC News story last month about a White House-authorized "non-lethal" operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the septet asserted, "We have an obligation to ensure the offenders are held accountable."

However, the letter did not ask for the committee's investigation to identify ABC News' sources.

Following the broadcast of the report, ABC News said, "In the six days since we first contacted the CIA and the White House, at no time did they indicate that broadcasting this report would jeopardize lives or operations on the ground. ABC News management gave them the repeated opportunity to make whatever objection they wanted to regarding our report. They chose not to."


Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/06/gop_lawmakers_d.html

[monktonman]

1. frivolous lawsuits anyone?

[hobbit709]

2. Patrick McHenry should be investigated for a terminal case

of cranial rectumitis combined with foot in mouth disease.

[Betsy Ross]

12. Pedioral cramification n/t

[tinymontgomery]

16. This piece of S* is my rep.

bug killer delay want-a-be

[Lerkfish]

3. well, if we wanted independent verification of the report, we just got it

so that means they ARE operating covertly in Iran, as a prelude to invasion.

[Doctor_J]

4. A warning shot across the bow of Big Media

in case they were planning to not support the invasion of Iran. Next up: anthrax

[Lobster Martini]

5. Intimidating the press, anyone?

All you need to know:

"...the letter did not ask for the committee's investigation to identify ABC News' sources."

Leaking sensitive information: no big deal.
Broadcasting the information: requires investigation.
Intimidating the media: priceless.

[0007]

6. 9

[bluestateguy]

7. They're just mad because "Path to 9/11" didn't save them in the election

Patrick McHenry? Is that boy out of college yet?

[libodem]

8. Everyone knows

that the CIA is in Iran, undercover, trying to stir up dissidents, to destabilize the government. We are so scared, Iran is going to have a Nuclear Power Plant, to make their energy, because then they can sell all of their oil and glut the market. It is about Oil. Only about Oil. We have a failure at the Oil Business, in the highest office in the land. Still failing at the oil business. What a loser.

[acmavm]

9. Yeah, yeah he is. But he's got a lot of help here in this little 'f**k up'. He's

got every friggin' member of his administration, past and present, are up to their elbows in treason to get this war started and keeping it going. Some are making big bucks off this war. I'm sure you know who I mean. But the big pay off was the oil fields. They thought, and i don't know why they thought this way, but they thought they were just going to march in to Iraq and it would be all theirs for the taking. Never once did they expect this kind of craziness. Hell, they didn't even understand these poor people. bush** was/is an ignorant toad when it comes to dealing with these people. An ignorant toad being led around by some vile, evil, mean, and greedy accomplices in the horrible crime that was originally called Shock and Awe.

[BushOut06]

10. Quite the opposite - expose all covert operations

If it's worth doing, do it openly.

[sutz12]

11. OK let's check the legalities, just to make sure...

Outing covert operatives, OK.

Outing covert operations, not OK.

That right? :dilemma:

[rmgarrette64]

13. Now turn that around

If leaking Plame's status was wrong, why isn't this wrong too? I thought both actions were wrong, and should be investigated. Ideally, this investigation can also find out who leaked the information about operations in Iran, and that person can also be fired. Maybe, eventually, secret information can stay secret.

R. Garrett

[TacticalPeek]

14. They didn't know it was secret - everybody knew about it. It was fair game.

They heard it from other reporters.

It's just hardball.

Don't criminalize politics.

:evilgrin:

[MasonJar]

15. The same GOP which outed a covert agent and her entire organization?