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Hillary Clinton Emailed Names of U.S. Intelligence Officials, Unclassified
You can look at the source documents yourself. This is not opinion, conjecture, or rumor. Hillary Clinton transmitted the names of American intelligence officials via her unclassified email.
From a series of Clinton emails, numerous names were redacted in the State Department releases with the classification code “B3 CIA PERS/ORG,” a highly specialized classification that means the information, if released, would violate the Central Intelligence Act of 1949 by exposing the names of CIA officials.
How FOIA WorksThe Freedom of information Act (FOIA) requires the government to release all, or all parts of a document, that do not fall under a specific set of allowed exemptions. If information cannot be excluded, it must be released. If some part of a document can be redacted to allow the rest of the document to be released, then that is what must be done. Each redaction must be justified by citing a specific reason for exclusion.
But don’t believe me. Instead, look at page two of this State Department document which lists the exemptions.
Note specifically the different types of “(b)(3)” redactions, including “CIA PERS/ORG.” As common sense would dictate, the government will not release the names of CIA employees via the FOIA process. It would — literally — be against the law. What law? Depending on the nature of the individual’s job at CIA, National Security Act of 1947, the CIA Act of 1949, various laws that govern undercover/clandestine CIA officers and, potentially, the Espionage Act of 1917.
Names of CIA, NSA Officials Mentioned, Now RedactedYet Hillary’s emails contain at least three separate, specific instances where she mentioned in an unclassified email transmitted across the open Internet and wirelessly to her Blackberry the names of CIA personnel. Here they are. Look for the term “(b)(3) CIA PERS/ORG” Click on the links and see for yourself:
There are also numerous instances of exposure of the names and/or email addresses of NSA employees (“B3 NSA”); see page 23 inside this longer PDF document.
Why It Matters— These redactions point directly to violations of specific laws. It is not a “mistake” or minor rule breaking.
— These redactions strongly suggest that the Espionage Act’s standard of mishandling national defense information through “gross negligence” may have been met by Clinton.
— There is no ambiguity in this information, no possible claims to faux-retroactive classification, not knowing, information not being labeled, etc. Clinton and her staff know that one cannot mention CIA names in open communications. It is one of the most basic tenets taught and exercised inside the government. One protects one’s colleagues.
— Exposing these names can directly endanger the lives of the officials. It can endanger the lives of the foreigners they interacted with after a foreign government learns one of their citizens was talking with the CIA. It can blow covers and ruin sensitive clandestine operations. It can reveal to anyone listening in on this unclassified communication sources and methods. Here is a specific example of how Clinton likely compromised security.
— These redactions show complete contempt on Clinton’s part for the security process.
BONUS: There is clear precedent for others going to jail for exposing CIA names. Read the story of John Kiriakou.A Personal Aside: I just remain incredulous about these revelations seeming to mean nothing to the world. They’re treated in the media as almost gossip.
Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved. The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) in their private capacity.
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rich bauer said...
1‘I just remain incredulous about these revelations seeming to mean nothing to the world.”
Peter, I just got back from real world. It knows the US is morally corrupt. The “world” you mention is the insane asylum that is US. Please amend.
Given the clear national security violations cited here, the FBI likely is stalling on the case to announce its findings just before the election that Hillary is in legal difficulty so Obama and his DOJ Lynch-mob can’t spin the case.
06/6/16 9:38 AM | Comment Link
bloodypitchfork said...
2rich bauer said…
“Given the clear national security violations cited here, the FBI likely is stalling on the case to announce its findings just before the election that Hillary is in legal difficulty so Obama and his DOJ Lynch-mob can’t spin the case.”
I’m sorry Rich but I totally disagree. First off, the FBI is a part of the DOJ, which is part of the Executive and at it’s beck and call. I’ll bet $100, Obama has ALREADY pulled Comey aside and told him in no uncertain terms, this investigation will simply fold..or else. No matter what..Comey knows he is the fall guy either way. He must be squirming as I type.. which I hope he can’t sleep either. There is so much riding on his decision, he knows, peoples heads are going to roll..no matter which way he decides, notwithstanding possibly his OWN.
Moreover, this decision has PROFOUND implications for the future direction of this country, and he KNOWS IT, notwithstanding his OWN future as well.
As for the classified data in her emails, that is exactly why Comey is in deep shit. If he ignors it, and closes this investigation, he looses credibility. If he desides she broke the law, and then..lord forbid, is forced to arrest her…all hell will break loose. All I know is ..I’m glad I’m not in his shoes. 🙂
Yet Hillary’s emails contain at least three separate, specific instances where she mentioned in an unclassified email transmitted across the open Internet and wirelessly to her Blackberry the names of CIA personnel. Here they are. Look for the term “(b)(3) CIA PERS/ORG” Click on the links and see for yourself:
06/6/16 12:12 PM | Comment Link
bloodypitchfork said...
3Oops..goddammit..I’d kill for an edit button. 🙁
That last paragraph was a quote. I put it in the wrong place. Oh well..no one cares what I say here anyway.
Carry on.
06/6/16 12:14 PM | Comment Link
Kyzl Orda said...
4Comey is an interesting guy.
He gained quite a reputation over that very bizarre incident during the Bush-Cheney administration (yes, there were many but this is in one of the top ten stand-outs) when Ashcroft was comatose at the hospital, and Alberto Gonzalez and company rushed to his bedside wanting a comatose Ashcroft sign off on surveillance stuff over Comey’s objections. If I recall right, Comey rushed to the hospital too (you can google for the full story and here is a snippet – http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/07/what-the-ashcroft-hospital-showdown-on-nsa-spying-was-all-about/) Back when the Washington Post was a newspaper, and not an arm of Amazon or mouthpiece for Clinton, they had great coverage on this story — if you can still find it on the web
Basically Ashcroft and Comey resisted this supplemental surveillance overreach by Gonzalez. Ashcroft not long after — left his job as AG. It was a surprising story at the time and earned the two respect from non-conservative areas of the political establishment for this gambit
But where does Comey stand these days? Has he turned into Han Solo jr or is he going to rally and support the law against democratic party forces at play? Comey has a legacy too — it’s the achilles heal for the power-holders. He is at the end of his career in government as it is and will retirement paycheck go before upholding the law?
If Clinton gets a free pass — there needs to be -a movement to erase the record for Kirakiou and others. Why have a two-tiered system where those we elect — are passing laws or pay no heed to laws — with the expectation these very laws do not apply to them? No one wants to follow such a leader/hypocrite down a rabbit hole
06/6/16 1:27 PM | Comment Link
Kyzl Orda said...
5What Clinton has done has zero to do with reforms or calling attention to issues that need to be fixed, unlike Kirakiou and others’ actions.
What’s more, the Russians got access to Clinton’s silly server via Guccifer and who knows how else given that famous incident of the recording of Victoria Nuland and our then-ambassador to Ukraine that was loaded to youtube 2 years ago per the Ukraine crisis.
Who’s minding the store? Mrs Clinton’s emails reveal someone more interested in 30,000 emails worth of wedding stories, photo or meeting opps with redacted intel officials, and very little in the way of conducting peace conferences and resolving armed conflicts or refugee matters.
06/6/16 1:35 PM | Comment Link
rich bauer said...
6Deliverance: Assuming Comey and senior FBI management are bending over for Obama and the DOJ-Lynch mob, I won’t feel so bad if Trump gets elected and makes them all squeal like a pig, including the Hillary whores in State. Let’s see them edit that video.
06/6/16 2:25 PM | Comment Link
rich bauer said...
7Speaking of the insane asylum that is US:
https://www.emptywheel.net/2016/06/06/obamas-successful-counterterrorism-approach-in-yemen-has-quadrupled-membership-in-aqap/
06/6/16 2:33 PM | Comment Link
john Poole said...
8It is very very very unlikely Hillary will be indicted. It is very very very likely she’ll be the nominee. What is not known at this point is what Sanders will do as the “loser”. Trump vs Clinton? What fool would venture a guess?
06/6/16 3:45 PM | Comment Link
Kyzl Orda said...
9Very interesting Empty Wheel article. Things just get worse and worse
06/6/16 4:16 PM | Comment Link
rich bauer said...
10Kyzl,
Can’t wait until the MSM reports it. That’s as likely as banning Slick Willie Clinton from being alone with a White House intern.
06/6/16 5:27 PM | Comment Link
Kyzl Orda said...
11Rich,
Lol. MSM is warming up for the next Clinton admin.
Tangentially, it is sad how the NY Times and Washington Post are both employing the same grammatical tactics and language when reporting on the Clinton campaign. I’m guessing some point in the spring there was a meeting with media owners and Clinton PA team on how to report on her campaign. I don’t have cable so I’m not sure if MSM and gang are following suit. I saw a petition by Roots Action calling on Chris Matthews to not call the primaries as already won by Clinton — with the end of the season and last votes cast, so perhaps the orchestration goes on in the cable world?
It’s odd that both NY Times and the WaPost have taken in their articles on the primaries to setting off with emm dashes emphasis that Clinton is the leading Democratic party candidate in the race and adding, elsewhere in the same article, how Sanders can never catch up. They even publish articles dealing with the same themes and almost identical titles.
It’s so overly-coordinated it is Soviet. All that is needed is the papers start calling Hilary ‘Uncle’ Hilary, the way Soviet papers referenced Uncle Lenin, and we are bored with photos of her surrounded by fat-cheeked children
06/6/16 6:24 PM | Comment Link
Kyzl Orda said...
12* correction “–before the end of the season and the last votes are cast.”
06/6/16 6:25 PM | Comment Link
Bruce said...
13Scoot ‘er Libby (aka Dick Cheney) !
06/6/16 7:38 PM | Comment Link
bloodypitchfork said...
14Kyzl Orda said…
“It’s so overly-coordinated it is Soviet.”
And therein lies the end of this thread. Thank you Kyzl.
06/6/16 7:58 PM | Comment Link
Kyzl Orda said...
15Bruce: “Scoot ‘er Libby (aka Dick Cheney)”
If HRC gets indicted, she could well be pardoned the same way.
Right now the Times, Post, and Associated Press are calling it that Clinton has won the nomination — as if the campaign season has been terminated. It seems kinda desperate, could an indictment be in the works afterall and this an attempt to keep the indicters at bay?
06/6/16 11:02 PM | Comment Link