The CIA Makes Good On Its Stopping of Press Leaks

Burnt by the scandal from the leaking of Valerie Plame's name, the CIA fired their first employee for talking to the press. Mary McCarthy, a senior analyst, was released from her job for giving secret material describing underground CIA detainment centers. Although the Associated Press discovered the canned employee represented Mrs. McCarthy, her husband denied the charge. The agency hired Mrs. McCarthy in a division looking at the conditions of Iraqi incarceration--the Office of Inspector General. Her alleged efforts contributed to a Pulitzer Prize winning story.



Is the White House trying to make good on their threat to punish leakers? This is the first attempt to silence those working for the government. However, what may be good intentions might end up backfiring, when thinking about I. "Scooter" Libby's indictment.

What do you guys think?

[edit on 23-4-2006 by ceci2006]

Let me guess that one group will call her a "whistleblower" and a "true patriot" and the other group will label her as a lawbreaker.

She broke the law. She took an oath of secrecy with her job. She should be punished.

Who says there was no political agenda involved in the actions of this "true patriot"?
Fired CIA Leaker Gave To Kerry And The DNC






seekerof

Jso, I think you might be missing the point.

This woman is both a patriot and a criminal. The two ARE NOT mutually exclusive.

What she did is necessary, and vital to the stability and continued success of the American empire. But of course she must be punished.

I would like to think she was smart enough to realize as she was making her decision, that there would be consequences.

Knowing you're going to get in trouble, and doing it anyway, based on principle and a sense of duty, well, that's what heroes are made of.

So, while it may seem strange, I applaud this woman for going out on a limb for her fellow citizens, and I also hope she is prosecuted. You can't very well set the precedent that it's okay to leak classified information to the press.

WyrdeOne


I agree with you, more often than not a true patriot is one that gives his life for the truth, even if it means losing liberties and even their lives.

All for the good of the people or nation they love.

That is a hero.

WO, that was an excellent point you made. They are not mutually exclusive.

Allow me to award an honorary WATS, since apparently we can't officially vote for a mod.

WyrdeOne is hereby awarded one well-deserved WATS.

Thanks dude.

I was just thinking about another angle on this story. Does the CIA's disciplinary action amount to an admission of guilt?

As far as I've seen, there isn't any evidence of what is being alledged, except some statements made by people with an obvious reason to lie. Now that the CIA has taken action though, it makes me wonder.

If they had not fired her, couldn't they reasonably claim that the whole story was false? Sure they could, and it would be the word of the CIA and the EU against a few nuts

But in firing her, they've validated her complaint in some sense, haven't they? Because if there were no secret prisons, she couldn't very well get fired for leaking info about them!

Am I way off base here?

She violated her solem oath that she gave freely when she first started there, so they were right to fire her. They might even prosecute her for what she did, but you can't tell that from the article.

Yes, she was fired. But, this will deter other people from speaking out against the government. And think how many abuses will not be uncovered because people are afraid to speak out? Although the CIA was right to fire her, this sets up a bad precedent because who will do the "watching" of governmental behavior now? Who will be held accountable when wrongdoing is made?

Originally posted by jsobecky
She broke the law. She took an oath of secrecy with her job. She should be punished.

Right. Along with cheney, Rove, and Libby, for their leaking of classified information

Somehow, this story got spun to make McCarthy guilty, but firing is not the same as being charged.

Here's the gal at the CIA making the press releases:

Jennifer Millerwise Dyck was named Director of Public Affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in January 2005.

Before joining CIA, Mrs. Millerwise Dyck was Deputy Communications Director for Bush-Cheney 2004.

She served as Deputy Assistant for Communications and Press Secretary to Vice President Dick Cheney from 2001 to 2003. During the first 10 months of the Bush Administration, she was Assistant Press Secretary in the White House Office of the Press Secretary.

Before joining the Bush Administration, Mrs. Millerwise Dyck served as a Regional Press Coordinator for the Republican National Committee's Victory 2000. Prior to the campaign, Mrs. Millerwise Dyck was the Press Secretary for Congressman Porter Goss (FL), she served under Ari Fleischer at the House Ways and Means Committee, and on the staff of Senator Spencer Abraham (MI). She earned her degree in Business Administration and Political Science from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Been around the block with the old gang some, politically speaking.

I can only say that what begins with Florida ends with Florida. Thank you for the update. I have heard all sorts of things lately about McCarthy and now it sort of makes sense.