Lawyer: Rice Allegedly Leaked Defense Info

[gldstwmn]

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics...tics-headlines

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice leaked national defense information to a pro-Israel lobbyist in the same manner that landed a lower-level Pentagon official a 12-year prison sentence, the lobbyist's lawyer said Friday.

Prosecutors disputed the claim.

The allegations against Rice came as a federal judge granted a defense request to issue subpoenas sought by the defense for Rice and three other government officials in the trial of Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman. The two are former lobbyists with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee who are charged with receiving and disclosing national defense information.

Defense lawyers are asking a judge to dismiss the charges because, among other things, they believe it seeks to criminalize the type of backchannel exchanges between government officials, lobbyists and the press that are part and parcel of how Washington works.

During Friday's hearing, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III said he is considering dismissing the government's entire case because the law used to prosecute Rosen and Weissman may be unconstitutionally vague and broad and infringe on freedom of speech.

Rosen's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said the testimony of Rice and others is needed to show that some of the top officials in U.S. government approved of disclosing sensitive information to the defendants and that the leaks may have been authorized.

Prosecutors opposed the effort to depose Rice and the other officials. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin DiGregory also disputed Lowell's claim, saying, "She never gave national defense information to Mr. Rosen."

The issuance of subpoenas does not automatically require Rice or anybody else to testify or give a deposition. A recipient can seek to quash the subpoena.

Calls to the State Department seeking comment Friday evening were not immediately returned.

The judge also granted subpoenas for David Satterfield, deputy chief of the U.S. mission to Iraq; William Burns, U.S. ambassador to Russia and retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni.

"Each of these individuals have real-life dealings with the defendants in this case. They'll explain what they told Dr. Rosen in detail," Lowell said. "On day one, Secretary of State Rice tells him certain info and on day two one of the conspirators tells him the same thing or something less volatile."

The indictment against Rosen and Weissman alleges that three government officials leaked sensitive and sometimes classified national defense information to the two, who subsequently revealed what they learned to the press and to an Israeli government official.

One of the three government officials is former Pentagon official Lawrence A. Franklin, who pleaded guilty to providing classified defense information to Rosen and Weissman and was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison.

Franklin has said he was concerned that the United States was insufficiently concerned about the threat posed by Iran and hoped that leaking information might eventually provoke the National Security Council to take a different course of action.

The indictment against Rosen, of Silver Spring, Md., and Weissman, of Bethesda, Md., alleges that they conspired to obtain classified government reports on issues relevant to U.S. policy, including the al-Qaida terror network; the bombing of the Khobar Towers dormitory in Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 U.S. Air Force personnel; and U.S. policy in Iran.

Lowell said it is impossible for Rosen and Weissman to determine what is sensitive national defense information when they are receiving the information from government officials who presumably understand national security law and therefore would not improperly disclose national defense information.

The World War I-era law has never been used to prosecute lobbyists before.

[Johnny Stew]

I think I'm becoming a total cynic... at least where politics are concerned... because I highly doubt that any of these people (Rice, Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld) will ever be found guilty of wrong-doing.

It no longer pays to be a good, honest person... it only pays to be a lying, cheating, back-stabbing lowlife.

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

I think I'm becoming a total cynic... at least where politics are concerned... because I highly doubt that any of these people (Rice, Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld) will ever be found guilty of wrong-doing.

It no longer pays to be a good, honest person... it only pays to be a lying, cheating, back-stabbing lowlife.

All I saw was this "Rosen, of Silver Spring, Md." JK

Don't let them take you, Stewey! It depends on what you mean by pays. Being good and honest will probably not get you into a position of power, or make you tons of money but that doesn't mean that you can't be that way and do either. These people have to sleep at night somehow knowing what they've done. If they can sleep karma's still going to get them. It's just the way that it is here.

It is the high road to be good and honest and that is why it is stressed so much when we are growing up because when you become an adult there is much temptation. But if you have values and principles you can navigate the minefield while maintaining your integrity. I don't think most people in this administration have a clue what integrity is. Maybe they're also from families who put power and prestige above goodness and honesty like the Bush family. But Stewey, you and I can sleep well knowing we are still working to be good even though there is so much working against us.

This leak to a pro-Israeli group is more fuel for the extremist Muslims to hate America, not that they need any more. I would love to see Ms Rice get her hands dirty with something sleezy like this. There's something very hollow about that woman.

[DavidMn]

Boy these people sure have big mouths dont they?

[madformac]

The point is Rice has been distancing herself from the administration (especially Cheney and Rumsfeld) a little bit lately and has expressed views that don't always fit with the company line. Expect to see a smear campaign or a "revelation" soon and it will end her time with the Bush administration, she's out of favour with them right now... This might be a perfect example or a perfect excuse.

Remember, you heard it here first!

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

I think I'm becoming a total cynic... at least where politics are concerned... because I highly doubt that any of these people (Rice, Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld) will ever be found guilty of wrong-doing.

It no longer pays to be a good, honest person... it only pays to be a lying, cheating, back-stabbing lowlife.

but just in case, I have my vats of tar and bins of feathers handy

[irishgrl]

There's something very hollow about that woman.

but her strings are invisible! the miracles of modern science