[Washington Post] Editorial - Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. should put an end to a criminal case that should never have been brought. Steven J. Rosen and Keith Weissman, two former officials for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, were indicted in 2005 during the Bush administration and charged with conspiracy to disclose national security secrets to unauthorized individuals under the archaic Espionage Act. The government has the right to demand strict confidentiality from government officials who swear to protect its secrets. The Justice Department errs egregiously and risks profound damage to the First Amendment, however, when it insists that private citizens - academics, journalists, think tank analysts, and lobbyists - also are legally bound to keep the nation's secrets. The prosecution in effect criminalizes the exchange of information.
2009-03-11 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive