Disturbing
news from London; a conservative shadow minister has been arrested for
receiving classified documents. This is why the AIPAC case, in which two former officials of the lobbying group are being charged with discussing classified information -- in fact, the information was concocted as part of a Justice Department sting -- with journalists and Israeli embassy officials. If they are convicted, it follows logically that journalists, too, could be charged with receiving and discussing classified information. This has had secrecy mavens like
Steven Aftergood worried for some time:
Up to now, there has always been a bright line that distinguishes the leaker and the leakee, or the recipient of the leak, if you will. The government has always discouraged and gone after the leaker, except when the leak was intentional, but they have always stopped short of trying to punish the recipient of the leak. What this decision does is to say it is perfectly legal to go after the recipient.
This article available online at:
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2008/12/aipac-and-the-official-secrets-act/9139/
