“The Department of Justice has not taken the initiative to prosecute leaks of national security secrets,” said Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) at a House Judiciary Committee hearing yesterday.
Considering that the Justice Department in the Obama Administration has initiated an unprecedented number of leak prosecutions, Rep. Smith had it exactly wrong. But his remark illustrates the rampant confusion and the growing antagonism that surrounds the topic of leaks of classified information.
For some of the latest coverage, see:
“The ‘Leak’ Wars” by Josh Gerstein, Politico, June 8
“Toobin: Obama has been ‘very tough’ on leakers” by Ashley Hayes, CNN, June 7
“U.S. Attacks, Online and From the Air, Fuel Secrecy Debate” by Scott Shane, New York Times, June 7
Congress must enact a Digital Public Infrastructure Act, a recognition that the government’s most fundamental responsibility in the digital era is to provide a solid, trustworthy foundation upon which people, businesses, and communities can build.
To increase the real and perceived benefit of research funding, funding agencies should develop challenge goals for their extramural research programs focused on the impact portion of their mission.
Without trusted mechanisms to ensure privacy while enabling secure data access, essential R&D stalls, educational innovation stalls, and U.S. global competitiveness suffers.
Satellite imagery has long served as a tool for observing on-the-ground activity worldwide, and offers especially valuable insights into the operation, development, and physical features related to nuclear technology.