Six Of One, Zero Of The Other

Well, that didn't take long:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Justice Department has opened an investigation into leaks to the media about the National Security Agency's classified domestic surveillance program…

The New York Times was the first to report the story on December 16th and then officials confirmed its existence to CNN and other organizations.

"The Justice Department has opened an investigation of the unauthorized disclosure of classified information related to the NSA," a Justice Department official told CNN.

The leak investigation is expected to be handled, as is standard, by Justice Department prosecutors and FBI agents. Officials would not say when the investigation began.

No reason to get cynical here.  As CNN, your liberal media, points out--this kind of investigation is standard.  It's routine.  And no reason to say exactly how fast the standard justice department investigation into a leak was.  Because, you know, it's standard.  Justice Department prosecutors and FBI agents standardly get on this kind of thing.  It's the way it's always done.

[On July 14, 2003], syndicated columnist Robert Novak wrote that "two senior administration officials" told him that Wilson had been suggested for the trip by his wife. Novak identified her as Valerie Plame, a CIA "operative on weapons of mass destruction."

In December 2003, U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald in Chicago was named as a special counsel to investigate whether the identification of Plame, who was an undercover CIA officer, was a violation of federal law.

Okay, so this investigation, into a leak involving national security that pissed off the Bush administration, took about twenty minutes to get under way.  While a leak by the Bush administration, which involved national security took about five months to get under way.

You know, standard.  The way it's always done.  It's standard for the justice department to look into these leaks.  Sometimes, it happens right away;  other times, it takes about five months.  But it's standard for the justice department to look into these things.

Right?  Back in July of 2003, someone or several someones leaked the name of a covert CIA agent who's work involved investigating and stopping the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.  And since that leak involved such important matters of national security, of course the White House and it's Justice Department immediately launched a standard investigation into the matter

(CBS/AP) The Justice Department has launched a full-blown criminal investigation into who leaked the name of a CIA officer, and President Bush directed his White House staff on Tuesday to cooperate fully with the probe…

The investigation stems from a CIA complaint two months ago that one of its agent's identities had been disclosed. Justice gets about 50 such complaints from the CIA each year about leaks of classified information and few ever get beyond a preliminary investigation.

Oh, gee, that's right!  The White House didn't launch an investigation into it!  In fact, the neither the White House nor the Justice Department launched a standard investigation into the matter until they were forced to by a complaint from the CIA.

And, even after the CIA complaint, it took two months for the Justice Department to launch one of their standard investigations.  Which, because of the CIA complaint, they had no choice but to standardly investigate.  By law.

And, as a matter of standard procedure, what did the White House do?  In regard to both of these leaks involving national security? Well, after the Plame leak, they denied they had anything to do with it.  Though, later on, one senior White House official was indicted for it and at least one other White House official is under investigation for it.  And, again, they drug their heels for five months.

The leak involving the warrantless searches of Americans and the knowing and intentional violation of the United States Code?  Bush called it "shameful" and the Justice Department got on it before, unlike the Plame leak, anyone could start erasing hard drives.

Ashcroft has also come under fire, The Times reports, for allowing the White House to learn of the probe well before counsel Alberto Gonzales told staff to preserve evidence.  

When the Bush administration instantly jumps with both feet on some anonymous leaker who pissed them off, your liberal media makes sure to let you know that the FBI and the Justice Department are handling the investigation, as is standard. 

When the Bush administration absolutely refuses to investigate a leak which they are responsible for and which they are eventually forced to investigate, by law, your liberal media not only doesn't call it standard, not only barely mentions the CIA complaint, but goes to great lengths to point out that the CIA lodges about fifty of these same complaints every year.  And that "few ever get beyond a preliminary investigation". 

Honestly, do a Google search.  Nearly every article about the Plame matter recites this very peculiar, irrelevent fact--50 complaints a year!  Most are a waste of time!

And if I seem just a little too angry about our liberal media, again, well, you're not reading me close enough.  I'm not angry enough.  After all, it ain't their First Amendment.  It's ours.  God, Almighty, didn't hand Moses a burning New York Times and tell him to spread all the news that was fit to print.

The American people provided these sumbitches with the greatest protection of any profession in the world.  And, in return, we expect them to provide a public service. 

Serve the public, you lazy bastards.  Or fucking quit.

Comments

[Mary-Minnesota]

Ricky,
I am up way too late and probably don't make much sense, but you are on point as always, happy new year, cheers to 2006, here's hoping you have a good one. :)

[Mary Florida]

I have never witnessed a more evil, ugly bunch than the Bushites. Stay on their case Ricky, we're counting on you.

[E.C. (Mary Washington)]

Ah. I was hoping I'd find a post from you on this. I can never articulate the rage I feel on reading this crap, but fortunately for the rest of us, you've got the gift of tongue (or would that be fingers?) in this regard.

[Neil Shakespeare]

I'm sorry, Rick, but God Almighty DID hand Moses a flaming copy of the New York Times. We are talking STANDARDS here! STANDARDS! Come now! Which do you consult on a daily basis, The Ten Commandments or The New York Times? I rest my standard...

My standard spends most of its time resting...