State Department Employee Faces Firing for Posting WikiLeaks Link

So here is thie thing: After 23 years of service this guy gets pulled in and interrogated for "Disclosing Classified Information".

His crime, he said, was a link he posted on August 25 in a blog post discussing the hypocrisy of recent U.S. actions against Libyan leader Muammar Qadaffi. The link went to a 2009 cable about the sale of U.S. military spare parts to Qadaffi through a Portuguese middleman.

So linking to a leaked cable, which is available almost world wide to anyone on the internet, is "disclosing Classified Information"?

....and told him that every blog post, Facebook post, and tweet by State Department employees had to be pre-cleared by the Department prior to publication.

Wow! I wonder how they implement that little jem of a rule?!

Looks like he may loose his job over this blog post. Just goes to show how the US is still stinging from this leak, and willing to throw the book hard at anyone even remotely connecting to it, if they can find even the most tenuous of links.

The full article is wll worth a read, giving some background into what this guy was commenting on - the relationship between the US and Libia, and the US's hypocricy. He also recently published a book critical of the US's actions in Iraq. No wonder they want to shut him up!

And they warned him against writing about their interrogation, saying he could be charged with interfering with a government investigation if he did so.

Tehy've got you stiched up so tight in the US with all these rules. Sheesh!

Technically and legally he violated "The State Secrets Act Of 2008" and does not exempt employees of The US Federal Govt. Regardless of how you or I may feel about this unfortunately the law is the law.

Originally posted by TheImmaculateD1
Technically and legally he violated "The State Secrets Act Of 2008" and does not exempt employees of The US Federal Govt. Regardless of how you or I may feel about this unfortunately the law is the law.

How did he violate it?

He stole nothing, he leaked nothing. He gave no secrets to anyone. He merely pointed to something already in the public domain. How can that violate the law?

If he was directed by his employer to not review or disclose that information, then he should be terminated.

You do not have a right to a job. You cannot do whatever you want. Whether his employer is a private company or a government organization, he is obligated to follow their guidelines.

I recall that at the beginning of the Wikileaks scandal, the US government issued a directive that employees were forbidden to review the leaked information.

While I agree that there are far too many laws, and far too many attacks on what is supposed to be freedom, I also realize that there must be reasonable (and I don't mean reasonable as decided by the parties said actions/information may restrict) restrictions.

reply to post by Shamatt


Whatever was leaked was obviously classified or else this action wouldn't've been warranted. Since when he was updating his blog he linked an internal item not meant for public view is a breach of security, especially since he was using the State Dept's computers and servers to connect to the web is a violation.

The US Federal Gov't maintains a list of prohibited websites and if you visit a blacklisted site you are fired.

state employees were warned about this material from wikileaks.

people who are thinking about working for the state in future were also warned about this material.

a case like this just re-enforces the threats and keeps all the other sheep in line.

people have to work and want money. they will do whatever they are told to do. if the break the rules they will be fired and made an example of. there is plently of willing people who will take their place.

Originally posted by TheImmaculateD1
Technically and legally he violated "The State Secrets Act Of 2008" and does not exempt employees of The US Federal Govt. Regardless of how you or I may feel about this unfortunately the law is the law.

'The law is the law' depending on your place in society.
You are not all equal in the eye's of the law in the US at least.

Common folk go to prison from 'insider trading' in financial markets.
If you are a politician, you are exempt from this law and can profit until your hearts content.
This makes a mockery of the legal system.

They are the very people who should be imprisoned for insider trading.

Especially when they have corporations lobbying them to loosen regulations so they make big profits (think pharma, monsanto lobbyists).

Ever heard of joe the plummer getting off drug charges coz he's booked himself into rehab?
No... he's making licence plates,
not having a sauna, detox, massage, and an all organic menu.

At the end of the day, everyone just wants justice