The Republicans are drafting a resolution that will condemn the media’s disclosure of the secret terror finance tracking operation.
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans sharply criticized The New York Times and other news media Tuesday for disclosing a secret Bush administration effort to track terrorist financing, and House GOP leaders hurriedly drafted a resolution condemning the stories.
A vote was possible as early as Wednesday, according to House Republican officials.
While a “free and objective independent media is necessary to the maintenance of liberty,” a draft of the resolution said, “The New York Times and other media outlets that solicit the discovery of sensitive information and unilaterally determine to publish such information could be placing lives at risk.”
The paper has defended its reporting, saying publication has served America’s public interest. Messages seeking comment on the nonbinding House resolution were not immediately returned.
“There’s genuine outrage and concern by Republican members of Congress,” said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. “There’s a growing consensus that something should be done.”
Rep. Jack Kingston spoke about the NY Times’ irresponsible decision to publish the article. Listen to his comments here.
While this resolution is largely symbolic, it will clearly define the differences between the Republicans and the Democrats who have been largely silent on the New York Times’ disclosure. Where is their outrage that our ability to fight terror by tracking terrorists’ finances has been undermined?
I don’t think the Dems have been silent. The radio arm of the Dems, Air America (regularly featuring ‘prominent’ Dem political ‘leaders’) has been supportive of the NYT and dismissive of any criticism of NYT.
Well, no wonder we didn’t hear what they said!
No one listens to these publicly and privately funded air headed nincompoops anyway, so its no surprise they would sneak on there (air america) to support their agendas.
bush reveled the program in 2003 when he bragged publicly about it. i call for gwb to be tried for treason first. where was the outrage on the right? no wonder the polls show the public trusts the democrats more on iraq than the gop.
And just when did Bush brag about this program, Billy? If you’re going to lie, at least TRY to fake a link to a source.
I take this to mean the White House has decided they will not try to prosecute the NYT, hence this symbolic effort from the GOP instead.
Democratic support for the war shows up every time the U.S. captures a terror suspect or attempt to break up a terror cell. The democrats accuse the U.S. soldiers of abuse of the murderers or reveal the program used to break up the terror cells. No question they support the war on terror, just the fact that they support the terrorists make them different. Most of the leadership in the democratic party have supported the enemy, no matter who they are, since the 60’s. Don’t call them unpatroitic though, their consistant patrotism ‘to the enemy’ is plain for everyone to see.
I take this to mean the White House has decided they will not try to prosecute the NYT
And if they did, people like you would raise bloody hell over it. Since we all know, if found guilty, Chimpy McBush would send all the NYT Editors to his naysayer internment camp out in Utah…
The New York Times needs to have its press passes pulled from any and all government functions, and any AP or other correspondent who submits for the NYT. Shut them out.
The next best way to handle the NYT, would be to hit them where it really hurts.
Cease all tax breaks and loopholes that the wealthy and powerful owners of the NYT have been given by the State, City and Fedearl Government. No more breaks in costs for city services, or any grants subsidies, etc..
Decline all requests for zoning changes, building ordinance variances, etc; and treat the NYT like they were Joe Smith in the Bronx. No going to the head of the line.
When the NYT wants to make fancy new offices for their editorial staff, or get additional parking; tell them to take a number and they better have all their paperwork in order or they go back to the end. One misplaced comma, one omitted word, and back they go.
The NYT doesn’t respect the government, then they can live like other New Yorkers do.
Kim asked, “Where is their [the Democrats] outrage that our ability to fight terror by tracking terrorists’ finances has been undermined?”
I seem to recall the Democrats repeatedly criticizing the Bush administration for not immediately implementing all of the recommendations made by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission.
Now that we know that the chairmen of the 9/11 Commission not only approved of the bank monitoring program but also implored the NYT not to publish their story, I find it curious that no Democrats seem eager to criticize the NYT, even though the NYT just wiped out a major anti-terrorism program endorsed by the 9/11 Commission.
I’d rather see a resolution stating that all those in favor and their staffs will no longer be available to comment or answer questions from the NYT and similar nor their affiliated and owned companies. Just say no, men and women of Congress, just say no.
Not that they will, if they didn’t have huge egos they wouldn’t be in Congress. But just for a moment consider how oddly great it would be if, all of a sudden, whenever anything important happened, the only (print) place you could go for Congressional reaction was the local paper that Cheney had his accident reported to. I would laugh…and laugh…and laugh…
No, wait…no one would notice if Republican reactions were suddenly dropped from the Times, Globe, etc, would they? Who’d miss that one comment a month? Damn, a hole in my plan you could drive a truckload of explosives through.
Kim asked, “Where is their [the Democrats] outrage that our ability to fight terror by tracking terrorists’ finances has been undermined?”
There’s no outrage because Democrats, as well as Republicans, know that the existence of this program has been well documented for years, therefore the facts revelealed by the New York Times will have no detrimental effect on our ability to track terrorists.
The only ones who are “outraged” are the liars who know this, but are acting like nursery school children who’ve lost their ice cream cones, in a pathetic attempt to help their political party hold onto seats this November.
And everyone knows it.
first the military supports the dems iraq plan and the republicans ridicule the troops and america as cut and run.
now the gop wants to prosecute truth telling news organizations for revealing their crimes. sounds like they belong in iran or cina, not america
see you in the minority after november you right wing losers.
billy, you’re a fool if you think the military is “supporting the dems iraq plan.”
It’s been the plan all along, loser.
Just try passing your crap off to Gen. Casey. See how long it takes hoim to kick your ass back to Kosland.
We can whether that the Dems are serious about protecting this country and not wishing defeat for the US (to gain back political power) when they strongly and widely condemn the NYT for this despicable behavior. The people who are trying to defend the NYT is either ill-informed or willfully ignorant.
It is sad that the left has continued to defend and side with the NYT. It is truly sad when the left thinks that VN was their glorious day. The left is wishing a return to the VN days as the pinnacle of their accomplishment. They are proud when they helped defeat America (and left behind genocides and atrocities).
They haven’t grown past this behavior. Truly sad.
bush reveled the program in 2003 when he bragged publicly about it
And the Germans knew the Allies were going to invade northern France. They just didn’t know how, when, or with what.
Really, you’re being disingenuous, and it frankly ought to embarrass you.