You're a Spy

[babylonsister]

http://www.slate.com/id/2136324/

You're a Spy
If the Bush administration's interpretation of espionage law is upheld, then everyone is breaking the law, all the time.
By Fred Kaplan
Posted Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006, at 5:49 PM ET


Keith Weissman
An espionage trial about to begin in Alexandria, Va., could threaten the whole enterprise of investigative journalism.

The case is The United States of America v. Lawrence Anthony Franklin, Steven J. Rosen, Keith Weissman, and the five-count charge—filed under federal espionage statutes—concerns the "communication of national defense information to persons not entitled to receive it."

According to the indictment, Franklin, who at the time of the alleged crime was a Pentagon official, spoke about classified information with Rosen and Weissman, who were policy analysts for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Franklin's offense, though hardly unusual in Washington (and rarely prosecuted), is at least straightforward: Talking to Rosen and Weissman about classified material violated the contractual and legal obligations of his security clearance.

The charges against Rosen and Weissman, though, are peculiar. Neither works for the U.S. government. Neither has a security clearance. (Rosen, a former official, used to have one, but it expired 20 years ago; the prosecutors claim that its terms are still in effect.) If Rosen and Weissman were accused of being Israeli spies, or if either they or AIPAC were labeled foreign agents, that would be one thing. But the indictment makes no such accusation.
more...

[Clara T]

1. Pay Attention Folks

The espionage law (18 U.S.C. Sec. 793) applies to anyone who, "for the purpose of obtaining information respecting the national defense with intent or reason to believe that the information is to be used to the injury of the United States, or to the advantage of any foreign nation, goes upon, enters, flies over, or otherwise obtains information concerning any vessel, aircraft, work of defense, navy yard, naval station, submarine base, fueling station, fort, battery, torpedo station, dockyard, canal, railroad, arsenal, camp, factory, mine, telegraph, telephone, wireless, or signal station, building, office, research laboratory or station or other place connected with the national defense … "

It also applies to anyone (again, with "intent or reason to believe that the information will be used to hurt the U.S. or help a foreign nation") "copies, takes, makes, or obtains, or attempts to copy, take, make, or obtain, any sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, document, writing, or note of anything connected with the national defense;"

Or anyone  who "receives or obtains or agrees or attempts to receive or obtain from any person, or from any source whatever, any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, or note, of anything connected with the national defense, knowing or having reason to believe, at the time he receives or obtains, or agrees or attempts to receive or obtain it, that it has been or will be obtained, taken, made, or disposed of by any person contrary to the provisions of this chapter."

This applies to just about everyone who publishes a newspaper or who has ever posted commercial satellite photos on a Web site. The last passage further applies to just about anyone who's ever downloaded from such a site.

http://www.slate.com/id/2136324/sidebar/2136386/





Everybody's too wrapped up in the Cheney soap opera while fascism prepares to take another leap forward.

Rec'd

[babylonsister]

2. Hi, Clara T! How goes the battle? And your eye continues

to creep me out!

[Clara T]

3. Been having some really good days

despite the madness all around. I'll try to PM later.

Must admit to being a bit frustrated in attempting to break through the Cheney news goo. But that too will run its cycle. It is at these times of mega-gossip that the Repugs sneak through all sorts of wicked acts. Thanks for your post.

Peace

[ktlyon]

4. Doesn't this apply to what Cheney did in outing Plame?

Seems like it applies to me. Cheney is a spy. Maybe more truth than humor there.

[bobthedrummer]

5. Franklin was sentenced weeks ago, he got something like 12 yrs.