Is it a crime for a reporter to solicit the disclosure of classified information?

[strigori]

There should be a distinct difference between 'national security' reasons and 'job security' reasons for politicians. Too often the later gets mistaken for the former. Details that might be embarrassing are hardly a matter of 'national security'

I think there is.

 

If a 'leak' allows the media to expose the fact the US, British & Saudi Intellegence agencies have a double agent deep inside Al Qaeda's #1 bomb making operation and the leak forces the removal of the double agent before the bomb-making leader can be 'taken out', would you consider that to be a 'national security' or a 'job security' issue?

That gets a national security ranking, while the guy is undercover. As getting outed means getting dead. But not a forever 'classified' thing though. And no self respecting news people should ever put info out there that would get someone killed at any rate. If a reporter got that kind of info, sitting on it would be the right thing to do.

[Ziggy]

I think it all (should) boil down to what is shared and how it is obtained. Classified information doesn't always mean it should remain a secret to the US public. Its such a touchy subject to go after media people, but sometimes people have to be held accountable for releasing information that has no business being in public at that time. Take it for what its worth, not a lot.

[Someone]

There should be a distinct difference between 'national security' reasons and 'job security' reasons for politicians. Too often the later gets mistaken for the former. Details that might be embarrassing are hardly a matter of 'national security'

I think there is.

 

If a 'leak' allows the media to expose the fact the US, British & Saudi Intellegence agencies have a double agent deep inside Al Qaeda's #1 bomb making operation and the leak forces the removal of the double agent before the bomb-making leader can be 'taken out', would you consider that to be a 'national security' or a 'job security' issue?

That gets a national security ranking, while the guy is undercover. As getting outed means getting dead. But not a forever 'classified' thing though. And no self respecting news people should ever put info out there that would get someone killed at any rate. If a reporter got that kind of info, sitting on it would be the right thing to do.

In this case, the AP agreed to sit on it for a few days into the double agent and his family could be extracted. The CIA lost their best chance to find and kill the bomb maker as the operation was forced to be terminated. Many assets were 'burned' do to the leak.

 

This is a real case. The AP really did this. This is exactly why, after a year of refusing to give up the source of the leak, the DOJ is getting phone records.