So the federal government is taking leaks a little more seriously than I thought they would. Good.

A federal grand jury in Alexandria is investigating unauthorized leaks of classified information and has issued a subpoena to a fired National Security Agency officer who has acknowledged talking with journalists about the agency’s warrantless surveillance program, according to documents released yesterday.

The 23-member grand jury is “conducting an investigation of possible violations of federal criminal laws involving unauthorized disclosure of classified information” under the Espionage Act and other statutes, according to a document accompanying the subpoena.

The demand for testimony from former NSA officer Russell Tice provides a sign of the Justice Department’s aggressiveness in pursuing the leak investigation, which follows a series of controversial news reports on classified programs. It also marks the latest potential use of the espionage statute to combat such leaks.

The justice department cannot be aggressive enough when it comes to this. I don’t know about using Espionage statutes in this, but surely this fits into a treason statute somewhere. An officer of the NSA should never disclose information the way this asswipe did.

Tice has publicly identified himself as a possible source for the report, saying that he talked to Times reporters before it was published. He also has said he believes he was fired by the NSA last year because he complained of possible Chinese espionage at the agency, and he has since sought to testify before Congress about “probable unlawful and unconstitutional acts” by the NSA director and other senior administration officials.

And he should have spoken with Congress behind closed doors about his concerns. Going to the NYT was just the easy way out and it’s pretty obvious Mr. Tice is seeking sympathy from bleeding heart liberals. These liberals and the word treason go hand in hand…

Tice said in an interview that he viewed the subpoena as an attempt at intimidation by the government. “This is the king saying, ‘How dare anyone challenge my authority and say that I’m a crook or a criminal?’ ” he said.

No. To the contrary it says- You may have broken laws and if you did, you’re going to be held accountable. Liberals, Mr. Tice and the NYT always use this mantra. They act like they are being bullied by the government…No. They’re not being bullied enough.

The subpoena, dated July 25, requires Tice to appear Aug. 2. It was posted yesterday on the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition’s Web site. Tice is a member of the group.

Yeah so?

What’s being a member of this group supposed to mean? From the Whistle Blower web site:

When national security whistleblowers bring to public light unseemly or illegal governmental activity, they are exposing activity that not only affects the public coffers but the very lives and safety of United States citizens.

Give me a fucking break. We’re not stupid Mr. Tice and others who fondle this group. To the contrary, groups such as this place the lives of Americans AT RISK by attempting to legalize the disclosure of national security secrets! Talk about twisted logic.

Journalism and secrecy experts said the Alexandria investigation is another worrisome development for reporters attempting to inform the public about intelligence programs and policies.

“They are playing hardball,” said Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. “. . . They’re rounding up the most likely suspects, getting them to say ‘Yes I was a source’ or ‘No I was not a source,’ and then they’ll go to the reporters.”

It’s not the job of reporters to SHARE anything about national security. Period. More twisted unlogic here. Journalists must think pretty highly of themselves these days. It used to be they reported and we decided. Now, they decide what to report, they enourage government employees to come to them when “they have something” that will sell newspapers; they play off the liberal agenda and pretend to be objective. They claim they are just informing the public. Bullshit. I am a citizen of the USA and I want to live; I want my kids to have a good shot at life as well. Modern day reporters are doing everything they can to undermine the government’s ability to protect me and my kids. All because they don’t like President Bush.

Journalists and government employees need to be held to higher standard. They have access to information that effects the lives of SO many. They must be responsible with this and not be SELFISH. I see a lot of that here being played out. This is why I equate the likes of Mr. Tice, the NYT, and liberals together: They think only of themselves and what they each get out of something. I fully expect the government to hold all parties accountable for whatever it is they can charge them all with.