Dan Reeping – 11/4/05

This page was last updated on November 4, 2005.

Media betraying the nation; Dan Reeping; Beaver County Times; November 4, 2005.

I agree with most of Mr. Reeping’s letter, but there are a couple of assertions that need correction.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“The major newspaper and TV networks have a monopoly in creating public opinion. Currently, the media are joining the Democrats in building three crosses in Washington in the hope of crucifying three prominent Republicans. - Libby, Rove and Cheney.

“When I was in the Navy, I had a very high security clearance. Under oath, I promised that government secrets I was privy to would never be disclosed to anyone except people with security clearances equal to the information classification and ‘their need to know.’

“It was also very clear that if I broke my oath, I would go to jail. I would not pass ‘Go’ and I wouldn’t collect $200.

“But oddly enough, almost on a daily basis, I read in major newspapers or hear on TV networks that the media teams up with government employees who are very willing to commit treason and disclose classified government secrets as long as they are branded a reliable anonymous source.

“If you’re rich and famous like columnist Robert Novak, you have an endless supply of ‘get out of jail’ cards. Novak outed the CIA agent in his column and has not seen a jail cell, unlike other low-life newspaper writers that the justice system demanded full disclosure or jail time.”

[RWC] Far be it from me to defend columnists, but this paragraph is flat out wrong. Mr. Novak contacted the CIA press office before he published his column. Not only did the CIA not object to Mr. Novak’s column, it even confirmed Mrs. Wilson (a.k.a. Valerie Plame) worked for the agency. Go here for more info on this topic. Mr. Novak didn’t see a jail cell because he testified fully before the grand jury.

“After a couple years of intense legal study and the expenditure of millions of tax dollars, our government refuses to ask Novak who disclosed classified information, but rather plays their little game of Monopoly by trying to bankrupt the Republicans’ reputations with allegations that Libby told them lies.”

[RWC] As I noted above, Mr. Novak testified before the grand jury and told the jury and investigators his sources.

“The media enjoys their game of Monopoly because they own and manipulate the dice. But in this very serious game, all the citizens of our country are losers because our government’s secrets, that often protect our lives, are merely game pieces to be toyed with by the media.”