Not All Leaks Are Created Equal...And Sealing The Deal

While the White House continues to stonewall on the investigation of who compromised national security and released the name of CIA agent Valerie Plame to reporters, they do seem to have their knickers in a knot over other leaks.

According to a story in the Washington Post, "in recent weeks, dozens of employees at the CIA, the National Security Agency and other intelligence agencies have been interviewed by agents from the FBI's Washington field office, who are investigating possible leaks that led to reports about secret CIA prisons and the NSA's warrantless domestic surveillance program."

Hmmm, they aren't also investigating Plamegate? What a surprise.

In a signal of the upcoming wave of intimidation tactics, it was reported that "in a little-noticed case in California, FBI agents from Los Angeles have already contacted reporters at the Sacramento Bee about stories published in July that were based on sealed court documents related to a terrorism case in Lodi, according to the newspaper."

Additionally, "Bush administration officials -- who complain that reports about detainee abuse, clandestine surveillance and other topics have endangered the nation during a time of war -- have arguably taken a more aggressive approach than other recent administrations, including a clear willingness to take on journalists more directly if necessary."

We are watching a government so clothed and shrouded in secrecy that public documents that have been reclassified have been removed from the public archives.

That secrecy extends to the courts.

On the Federal Courts level, the AP reports on the unprecedented sealing of cases.

This apparently extends to locals courts as well. Today's Seattle Times refers to the plethora of inappropriately sealed court documents in the state of Washington.

The Bush Administration's legacy is not one that they will be able to look back on proudly in years to come. Unless, of course, they find a way to continue to shield the story from public view.