News Hits breathed a sigh of relief Saturday when President Bill Clinton vetoed what amounted to an official secrets act. Railroaded through Congress without open debate — “super sneaky” said U.S. Rep. John Conyers — the measure would have meant felonies for such past leakers as Daniel Ellsberg who helped end the Vietnam War by going to the press with the Pentagon Papers. (And it’s not as if leakers don’t already face a range of criminal penalties, depending on circumstances.)
News Hits’ mood soured quickly with the realization that having come this close, the intelligence community is surely plotting its next move. In secret, of course.
W. Kim Heron contributed to News Hits, which is edited by Curt Guyette
