Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982

First there was Deep Throat — a source of leaks that brought down a president who was complicit in a coverup — and now we have Turd Blossom. The latter fragrantly nicknamed (By which Godly president?) high level government official is Karl Rove. If the special prosecutor doesn't send Karl up the river, there is no justice in Mudville. Read the federal law protecting covert CIA personnel. Scott McClellan looked and sounded a lot like Ron Ziegler yesterday. I would bet dollars to doughnuts that Turd Blossom ran his leak by W before TB attempted to discredit Ambassador Joseph Wilson with the press. If this is (fair & balanced) eager anticipation, so be it.


TITLE 50 > CHAPTER 15 > SUBCHAPTER IV > § 421

§ 421. Protection of identities of certain United States undercover intelligence officers, agents, informants, and sources


Release date: 2005-03-17

(a) Disclosure of information by persons having or having had access to classified information that identifies covert agent

Whoever, having or having had authorized access to classified information that identifies a covert agent, intentionally discloses any information identifying such covert agent to any individual not authorized to receive classified information, knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such covert agent and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent’s intelligence relationship to the United States, shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

(b) Disclosure of information by persons who learn identity of covert agents as result of having access to classified information

Whoever, as a result of having authorized access to classified information, learns the identify of a covert agent and intentionally discloses any information identifying such covert agent to any individual not authorized to receive classified information, knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such covert agent and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such covert agent’s intelligence relationship to the United States, shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(c) Disclosure of information by persons in course of pattern of activities intended to identify and expose covert agents

Whoever, in the course of a pattern of activities intended to identify and expose covert agents and with reason to believe that such activities would impair or impede the foreign intelligence activities of the United States, discloses any information that identifies an individual as a covert agent to any individual not authorized to receive classified information, knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such individual and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such individual’s classified intelligence relationship to the United States, shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

(d) Imposition of consecutive sentences

A term of imprisonment imposed under this section shall be consecutive to any other sentence of imprisonment.