Secrecy News
Posted on Jun.28, 2018 in Inspector general, Intelligence, Leaks by Steven Aftergood
Government prosecutors have
been aggressively pursuing suspected leakers of classified information:
Reality Winner, accused of
disclosing a document “information relating to the national defense” to a news
outlet, changed her plea this week from “not guilty” to
“guilty.”
Former FBI agent Terry J.
Albury likewise pleaded guilty last April to unauthorized retention
and disclosure of national defense information.
Former Senate Intelligence
Committee security officer James A. Wolfe was indicted this
month for allegedly lying to the FBI in the course of a leak investigation.
And also this month, Joshua
Adam Schulte was indicted for
allegedly disclosing national defense information to a certain “organization
that purports to publicly disseminate classified, sensitive, and confidential
information.”
But not every leak results in
an official leak investigation. And not every leak investigation produces a
suspect. Nor is every leak suspect prosecuted.
In its latest semi-annual report, the Office of the Intelligence
Community Inspector General describes one recent case of an acknowledged leaker
of classified information who was allowed to resign without prosecution.
The IC Inspector General
“substantiated allegations that an ODNI cadre officer disclosed classified
information without authorization, transmitted classified information via
unauthorized means, and disclosed classified information to persons not
authorized to receive it.”
“During a voluntary interview,
the ODNI cadre officer admitted to transmitting classified information over
unclassified (internet) email to recipients not authorized to receive
classified national security information.”
But the matter was resolved
outside of the criminal justice system.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office
for the Eastern District of Virginia declined prosecution. The officer, who was
retirement eligible, retired before termination,” the IC IG report said.
No other details about the
episode were disclosed. But the case illustrates that a variety of responses to
leak incidents are available to the government short of criminal prosecution.
A House bill to authorize
intelligence spending for FY 18 and 19 (HR 6237), introduced yesterday, would require expanded
reporting to Congress on unauthorized disclosures of classified information.
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