Agree wholeheartedly…

Agree wholeheartedly.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Sunday he believes journalists can be prosecuted for publishing classified information, citing an obligation to national security.

The nation’s top law enforcer also said the government will not hesitate to track telephone calls made by reporters as part of a criminal leak investigation, but officials would not do so routinely and randomly.

“There are some statutes on the book which, if you read the language carefully, would seem to indicate that that is a possibility,” Gonzales said, referring to prosecutions. “We have an obligation to enforce those laws. We have an obligation to ensure that our national security is protected.”

Because it’s not up to reporters to decide what’s secret enough and what isn’t. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be convicted, of course. The courts get to decide these issues. However, bringing them up on charges is very reasonable, and it’s not a First Amendment issue, especially if it turns out they did harm national security.

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