On 1/1/06, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> To the Public Editor,
> New York Times:
>
> Re: Behind the Eavesdropping Story, a Loud Silence
> Public Editor Column
> January 1, 2006
>
> I write to bring out two overriding considerations not explicitly
> considered in the article "Behind the Eavesdropping Story...":

------------------------------------------

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/07/AR2006010700829.html>

The Convenient Timing of a Leak Case
Sunday, January 8, 2006; Page B06

More than a year ago, the administration had discussions with the New
York Times, knew of its intent to write an article about warrantless
domestic surveillance of U.S. citizens and prevailed upon the Times
not to publish the article. But it did not see fit to launch an
investigation of the leak of this information to the Times ["Justice
Dept. Investigating Leak of NSA Wiretapping," front page, Dec. 31].

Now that the public knows that President Bush empowered himself to
authorize such surveillance, an investigation has been launched into
what he described in a news conference as a "shameful" leak.

If the leaks were the crime, then the crime was known more than a year
ago. If the leaks were such a danger to national security, then the
administration knew of this danger more than a year ago and did
nothing. This call to action seems to be another instance of this
administration's all-too-often successful efforts to change the
conversation whenever the public discourse makes it look bad.

JULIANNE DOHERTY

Silver Spring

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