Maryland U.S. attorney Rosenstein appointed to investigate Obama national security leaks

[At Least Clinton Liked Pussy, Obama Likes Dicks]

Maryland U.S. AttorneyRod J. Rosensteinwas one of two federal
prosecutors appointed by Attorney Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. on
Friday to lead criminal investigations into recent leaks of U.S.
classified intelligence information.

The appointment, which Rosenstein declined to comment on,
followed a pledge earlier Friday from President Barack Obama
that his administration does not permit the unauthorized
disclosure of sensitive material.

Holder assigned Rosenstein and U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen
Jr. in the District of Columbia to open criminal probes into
several recent disclosures after The New York Times printed
detailed accounts of cyber warfare, the killing ofal-Qaida
leader Osama bin Laden, and alleged "Kill Lists" maintained for
targeting foreign terrorists.

The White House has come under intense criticism by conservative
critics who contend that his campaign has been leaking the
information to win positive news stories about his efforts
protecting the U.S. and fighting global terrorism.

Of Rosenstein and Machen's appointments, Holder said, "These two
highly respected and experienced prosecutors will be directing
separate investigations currently being conducted by the FBI."
Holder did not explain who would investigate what.

He added that they will "doggedly follow the facts and the
evidence in the pursuit of justice wherever it leads," and that
he gave them full authority to "prosecute criminal violations
discovered as a result of their investigations."

Rep.C.A. Dutch Ruppersbergerof Maryland, the ranking member of
the House Intelligence Committee, who had joined other
Intelligence Committee leaders in condemning intelligence leaks
earlier this week, said he spoke with Holder and FBI Director
Robert Mueller on Friday, and is confident they are pursuing the
investigations seriously.

"I had a conversation with Holder today and talked about the
investigation, to make sure that he was going to pursue it in an
aggressive and professional manner, and he has certainly said
this is his focus."

Ruppersberger applauded Rosenstein's appointment as one of the
lead leak investigators.

"What I know from Baltimore is he's very competent; he's very
bipartisan," Ruppersberger said, noting that Rosenstein was
nominated under PresidentGeorge W. Bush. "He's qualified. He's
focused. He's balanced. He's fair. He's hardworking, and he has
a good team."

Holder said he will advise the Judiciary and Intelligence
committees "as appropriate" as the investigations get underway.

Earlier, at a short news conference Friday in the White House
briefing room, Obama said he has "zero tolerance" for leaks of
classified information. He said that leaks about national
security matters make life harder for him and put American
civilians and the military in harm's way, and that his
administration tries to make sure that sources of such leaks
"suffer consequences" for their actions.

"We don't play with that," Obama told reporters. Following the
stories, Sen. John McCain, a Republican of Arizona, has called
for a special prosecutor to investigate leaks, which he says are
designed to portray Obama as a strong leader on national
security matters.

Democrats have also expressed concern. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a
California Democrat and chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence
Committee, said that the recent spate of leaks could endanger
American lives and "undermine America's national security."

Ruppersberger said the recent leaks are the worst he's seen in
the last 10 years he has worked on intelligence matters.

"This is becoming a pattern that is very concerning, it's
affecting our national security, and it can cost lives,"
Ruppersberger said. "Anybody who leaks information needs to be
held accountable because it's a criminal offense."

In one recent article in The Times, unnamed officials discussed
how the president reportedly directed the cyber attacks on the
Iranian nuclear program. Other news reports have delved into the
administration's program of secret drone attacks, including
Obama's role in ordering them.

In the briefing room Friday morning, Obama dismissed the
suggestions from Capitol Hill that the leaks were authorized,
calling them "offensive" and "wrong."

When those reports "surface on the front page of a newspaper,"
he said, that "makes my job tougher."

Worse, they "touch on critical issues of war and peace," he
said, and people involved in the covert operations "may be in
danger" as a result of those leaks.

Rosenstein, a graduate of Harvard Law School, was sworn in as
U.S. attorney for Maryland in 2005, after his nomination was
unanimously confirmed by the Senate. He'd previously held
multiple positions in theU.S. Department of Justice.

Rosenstein has prosecuted well-known Republicans and Democrats
over the years.

He prosecuted Alan B. Fabian, a millionaire entrepreneur, former
charity organizer and Republican fundraiser who pleaded guilty
in 2008 to mail fraud and faking a tax return.

In 2011, he prosecutedJack B. Johnson, former DemocraticPrince
George's Countyexecutive who pleaded guilty to extortion and
admitted taking $400,000 in bribes.

Also in 2011, he prosecuted Democratic Sen. Ulysses Currie for
corruption. Currie was acquitted.

Ruppersberger said the investigations alone won't fix the leak
problem. Legislators will also have to consider if there are
more steps they can take to ensure that leaks don't occur,
including retraining everyone with access to classified
information on the dangers of leaking it, he said.

"It's not just finding out who leaked what sometimes. Those
investigations can go on for years. It's more about fixing the
problem," Ruppersberger said. "We have to remind everybody who
has clearance, who works for intelligence, that this is serious
and if you leak you'll be held accountable. We have to change
this recent culture of leaks."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-obama-leaks-
rosenstein-20120608,0,5447669.story