Tom Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 http://www.infosecur...of-journalists/ Prompted in part by newspaper stories about the US role in the Stuxnet worm, House lawmakers are considering amending the Espionage Act to enable the prosecution of journalists who disclose sensitive national security information. During a House Judiciary Committee panel hearing on Wednesday, Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) said the committee was considering revamping the World War I era Espionage Act to allow prosecution of journalists for divulging state secrets, according to a report by theChristian Science Monitor. Sensenbrenner acknowledged the First Amendment hurdle that such a law would have to clear, a hurdle that the Supreme Court has set quite high. ?We?ve got the constitutional issue about the First Amendment protecting the freedom of the press, but there has to be a balance?, he was quoted as saying. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, accused the Obama administration of playing politics with national security. ?What sets these leaks apart from other leaks we have seen is that the media reports that many of these have come from highly placed administration officials. If true, this means that administration officials are weakening our national security and endangering American lives?, he said in a statement. Smith called on the Justice Department to ?bring the full force of the law? against those who leaked national security secrets. ?We can judge whether the administration is willing to conduct a serious and objective investigation by considering two factors: (1) whether they will hold administration officials responsible and (2) whether the investigation is completed before the general election?, he said. Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, told the Monitor that there is ?no need for a new law, and certainly not a new law that was rushed through Congress without careful consideration of the First Amendment interests of the media and other members of the public who share national security information.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miuku. Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Laaaand offf theee freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and the homeeeeee offff theee BRAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVEEEEEEEE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vice Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 So this pretty much confirms they were behind it? haha idiots. n_K, Xerax and Mike Frett 3 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerax Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Want to arrest someone but can't? Modify the law so you can.. wut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Xinok Subscriber² Posted July 14, 2012 Subscriber² Share Posted July 14, 2012 So this pretty much confirms they were behind it? haha idiots. While I don't doubt the leaks, this doesn't confirm anything. It's just a random politician using them as an excuse to push through legislation to undermine freedom of the press. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOC Veteran Posted July 14, 2012 Veteran Share Posted July 14, 2012 Laaaand offf theee freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and the homeeeeee offff theee BRAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVEEEEEEEE. Man that ended a longgggggg time agoooooo. Where have you been, Finland or something? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noir Angel Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 It's the land of the free. Until you uncover your government's dirty secrets and expose their lies that is. Then you're just another traitor that deserves to die Americuuuuh... f, yeah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted July 15, 2012 Member Share Posted July 15, 2012 I agree with this. The media should not be above us civilians. Disclosing classified information is not cool, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOC Veteran Posted July 15, 2012 Veteran Share Posted July 15, 2012 I agree with this. The media should not be above us civilians. Disclosing classified information is not cool, ever. Don't get me wrong, I agree with this also. But at the rate we are going here in the US, we won't have any rights in 20 years. Maybe sooner, depending on how things turn out this decade I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anibal P Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Don't get me wrong, I agree with this also. But at the rate we are going here in the US, we won't have any rights in 20 years. Maybe sooner, depending on how things turn out this decade I suppose. I've noticed we seem to be losing more rights the last say 3-4 years than the prior 16 combined, scary aint it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatingFatMan Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I've noticed we seem to be losing more rights the last say 3-4 years than the prior 16 combined, scary aint it? Well, your founding fathers gave you guys the right to bear arms for a reason. Maybe you should give some thought to that and do something about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nominak Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Well, your founding fathers gave you guys the right to bear arms for a reason. Maybe you should give some thought to that and do something about it. And that right was for overthrowing the government.. but they usually leave that part out. Osiris 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOC Veteran Posted July 15, 2012 Veteran Share Posted July 15, 2012 Yeah I'm fairly certain if we the people took up arms against our government, we'd get squashed pretty fast. This isn't the 18th century, and we are in the midst of revolutions all over the place (though some are more successful than others obviously). I'm pretty sure we'd see Twitter postings about how the US government is cracking down on revolts against them etc. It'd be pretty sucky. Of course I could be wrong. Maybe we should just start a new revolution and get it over with. Because it sure seems that's the way we've been going for the past oh, 20 years or so in this country (revolution I mean). Mike Frett 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theyarecomingforyou Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I agree with this. The media should not be above us civilians. Disclosing classified information is not cool, ever. Yet it's okay for the US government to be killing innocent civilians in drone strikes, to be launching illegal viruses against countries they are not at war with and to allow the torturing of people at Guantanamo Bay? I think you've got your priorities seriously messed up. I'm not saying there isn't merit to the idea of placing some restrictions on the media but the US government is so far out of control I oppose anything that would give them more power, particularly when it would directly suppress the truth. People should know what actions the government is taking on their behalf, especially when such actions are illegal, immoral and abhorrent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatingFatMan Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 And that right was for overthrowing the government.. but they usually leave that part out. I'm well aware of -exactly- what that right was given for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edrick Smith Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I've noticed we seem to be losing more rights the last say 3-4 years than the prior 16 combined, scary aint it? I guess you didn't pay very much attention to the previous 8 years. Mike Frett 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Warwagon MVC Posted July 15, 2012 MVC Share Posted July 15, 2012 What was wrong with it? At the time of disclosure we didn't know who created it. It was just said it was out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arachno 1D Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 If the shoe were on the other foot and the Chinese snuck some code on an American shipment of sensitive computer parts wouldnt this be called cyber terrorism? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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