There are different types of leakers, and some leaking can be seen as justified. Whistleblowing, where individuals disclose bad or unethical practices by those in power, can involve the release of classified information.
Recently, it was reported that there could be CIA personnel who hold anti-Trump sentiments and are willing to share classified intelligence with foreign governments if they feel threatened by efforts to streamline government operations.
There is a word for that. It’s not a pretty one.
To comply with an executive order to reduce the federal workforce, the CIA sent a highly unusual email to the White House listing all new hires who had been with the agency for two years or less, including officers who were about to work undercover. Surprisingly, this information was sent over an unclassified email server.
Wait, didn’t we have a certain former Secretary of State who kept classified material on an unclassified and unsecured email server? What was her name again?
The agency is now considering whether some of the employees listed in the email to the White House who were previously slated for covert deployments in sensitive locations overseas should now be held back or reassigned, sources familiar with the matter said, because the risk that their identity may have been exposed to foreign government hackers is too high.
That, to be fair, is a legitimate concern. There is a chance that leaked information could result in the death of an operator; I have an old friend who was a CIA Foreign Intelligence Officer (FIA) for 30 years, and I remember him saying that one of these people’s great fears was being “burned.” That was something that could easily end in a prolonged and painful death.
Here’s the alarming part:
With the CIA and other intelligence agencies, “you take whatever number of employees who are gonna get cut loose and they have knowledge of sensitive programs — that by definition is an insider risk,” this person said. “You’re just rolling the dice that these folks are gonna honor their secrecy agreement and not volunteer to a hostile intelligence service.”
This shouldn’t be a question. These people took oaths. They have — or had — security clearances, with the extensive background checks that go with those. I know — I’ve undergone a background check for a top-secret clearance myself. And, depending on which foreign government these disgruntled ex-employees might choose to go to, this act would be, arguably, treason.
Treason, I should note, is specifically called out in the Constitution. Article III, Section 3, Clause 1:
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
Under 18 USC Ch. 115: Treason, Sedition, and Subversive Activities, one can be sentenced to death for treason. It’s that serious.
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
If only leaking were the only disgusting thing going on.
This is breaking new ground in partisanship, threatening actual, by-gosh treason in opposition to a president one didn’t vote for. Whether that person is a GS-5 at USDA or a senior FIO, it’s hard to credit that anyone with enough loyalty to the United States to work in a critical field like this would commit such an unbelievable breach.
But then, in the last few years, we have seen a lot of things happen that we never would have even guessed at only ten years ago. And we might note, the second term of President Trump is already being plagued by leakers. When one takes on a swamp, one can expect to get mud on one’s boots.
If this were to happen, it would be troubling indeed; an indication that the rot in the federal government is far worse, runs far deeper, and is far more pervasive than we thought. The very idea that someone placed in a position of great trust, with insights into matters of national security, with access to highly classified materials, would indulge in this kind of treachery…
Well, let’s hope this is the last we hear of this possibility. But, as I’ve said many times, we’re in terra incognita right now, politically speaking. Things are going well for those of us on the right now, but we should never underestimate the lengths to which the left will go to oppose us.
