White House Press Corps.org: Press Gaggle by Dana Perino 09/27/06 (Topic: Intelligence Leaks)

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Press Gaggle by Dana Perino 09/27/06 (Topic: Intelligence Leaks)
— Thursday, September 28, 2006 —

Q Dana, Fran Townsend said yesterday that the leak of the report was a crime. Did the President -- is there some sort of -- is there going to be some sort of investigation into who leaked that information?

MS. PERINO: I have not heard him express that. No, I think if there's something to update in terms of an investigation, I'd have to refer you to the Department of Justice, because I believe that the intelligence agency that produced this document that was leaked is the one who makes the request to the Department of Justice. The President, to my knowledge, has not made such a request. It is troubling that classified information is leaked.

A couple of points about -- the intelligence community must have the ability to write frankly and to provide advice to the President, in which they provide both welcome and unwelcome news. And what you don't want to have happen, and what Fran Townsend was talking about yesterday, is losing that ability of both the intelligence analysts, and then the policymakers using the information that they're getting, to feel like they are hampered in any decision-making because they believe that that information is going to end up in the public and be exploited for political purposes.

It is curious that this document was finished and provided in April and it doesn't show up until we're in the homestretch of the election. We've seen this pattern of behavior before. Just, overall, the leaking of classified information, the President takes it very, very seriously, I can assure you of that. But in terms of an investigation, I haven't heard that.

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Posted by WhiteHousePressCorps.org @ 12:04 AM

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