CONGRESSMAN CALLS FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION OF THE NEW YORK TIMES
Randy L. Harrington
June 29, 2006
WASHINGTON—Congressman Peter King wants The New York Times to be criminally prosecuted for publishing details of the US anti-terror bank monitoring.
Peter King, a New York Republican, is the Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told “Fox News Sunday” that the newspaper crossed the line on Friday when it published details of the anti-terror monitoring program.
King said that “by disclosing this [the anti-terror banks monitoring program] in time of war, they have compromised America's anti-terrorist policies.” King went on to say that “Nobody elected The New York Times to do anything. And The New York Times is putting its own arrogant, elitist, left-wing agenda before the interests of the American people.”
The New York Times has made no comment, but several newspaper editors have rightfully defended the Times decision by saying that it is a newspapers job to publish what is known about the governments actions.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by Congress on December 15, 1791, and provides that Congress shall make no laws that would restrict the freedom of the press.
Senator Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, did not share King's views when he said “We have seen newspapers in this country act as effective watchdogs.”
Eric Lichtblau and James Risen wrote the article that appeared in The New York Times on June 22, 2006 with the headline that declared “Bank Data Is Sifted by U.S. In Secret to Block Terror.” The article disclosed that under a secret Bush administration program that was initiated weeks after the September 111 attacks, counter terrorism officials gained access to financial records from a vast international database and examined banking transactions involving thousands of Americans and others in the United States.
Government officials claimed that the tracing operation known as the SWIFT program, was limited to people suspected of having ties to al-Qaeda, but gave no guarantees that the program would not be used to violate the right to privacy of millions of Americans. It becomes easy to suspend freedoms, and constitutional rights to privacy by simply making the dissolution of those freedoms and rights necessary in a real or imaginary fight against terrorism.
If Americans are required to give up the rights that we enjoy under our constitution for the sake of fighting terrorism, then the terrorists have won.
This scandal feel close on the heels of another scandal that revealed that the Bush administration, and the counter terrorism forces had been listening to telephone voice mails, and possible telephone transmissions of American citizens to “filter out” potential “terrorist activity.” The United States has taken anti-terrorism measures seriously, and has used technology to our advantage, while at the same time refusing to secure the United States Borders against potential terrorists that could be among us with the 12 million illegal aliens.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: API; NEW YORK TIMES; FOX NEWS
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Peter King, a New York Republican, is the Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told “Fox News Sunday” that the newspaper crossed the line on Friday when it published details of the anti-terror monitoring program.
King said that “by disclosing this [the anti-terror banks monitoring program] in time of war, they have compromised America's anti-terrorist policies.” King went on to say that “Nobody elected The New York Times to do anything. And The New York Times is putting its own arrogant, elitist, left-wing agenda before the interests of the American people.”
The New York Times has made no comment, but several newspaper editors have rightfully defended the Times decision by saying that it is a newspapers job to publish what is known about the governments actions.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by Congress on December 15, 1791, and provides that Congress shall make no laws that would restrict the freedom of the press.
Senator Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, did not share King's views when he said “We have seen newspapers in this country act as effective watchdogs.”
Eric Lichtblau and James Risen wrote the article that appeared in The New York Times on June 22, 2006 with the headline that declared “Bank Data Is Sifted by U.S. In Secret to Block Terror.” The article disclosed that under a secret Bush administration program that was initiated weeks after the September 111 attacks, counter terrorism officials gained access to financial records from a vast international database and examined banking transactions involving thousands of Americans and others in the United States.
Government officials claimed that the tracing operation known as the SWIFT program, was limited to people suspected of having ties to al-Qaeda, but gave no guarantees that the program would not be used to violate the right to privacy of millions of Americans. It becomes easy to suspend freedoms, and constitutional rights to privacy by simply making the dissolution of those freedoms and rights necessary in a real or imaginary fight against terrorism.
If Americans are required to give up the rights that we enjoy under our constitution for the sake of fighting terrorism, then the terrorists have won.
This scandal feel close on the heels of another scandal that revealed that the Bush administration, and the counter terrorism forces had been listening to telephone voice mails, and possible telephone transmissions of American citizens to “filter out” potential “terrorist activity.” The United States has taken anti-terrorism measures seriously, and has used technology to our advantage, while at the same time refusing to secure the United States Borders against potential terrorists that could be among us with the 12 million illegal aliens.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: API; NEW YORK TIMES; FOX NEWS
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.