https://fas.org/blogs/secrecy/ <http://fas.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=33c6e6fc9f63792ebcbb7ef9d&id=05c378d6b1&e=eb134cdfa0>
*AN AUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION* President Trump's disclosure of classified information to Russian officials, reported by the *Washington Post* <http://fas.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=33c6e6fc9f63792ebcbb7ef9d&id=535970e24c&e=eb134cdfa0>, may have been reckless, damaging and irresponsible. But it was not a crime. Disclosures of classified information are not categorically prohibited by law. Even intelligence sources and methods are only required to be protected under the National Security Act from "unauthorized disclosure." This leaves open the possibility that disclosures of such classified information can actually be *authorized*. And we know that they are <http://fas.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=33c6e6fc9f63792ebcbb7ef9d&id=169abe3614&e=eb134cdfa0>, from time to time. One statute in particular -- 18 USC 798 <http://fas.us8.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=33c6e6fc9f63792ebcbb7ef9d&id=2b7a2757a4&e=eb134cdfa0> -- does come close to matching the circumstances of the Trump disclosure to Russia, with a crucial exception. That statute makes it a felony to disclose to an unauthorized person any classified information "concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States or any foreign government; or [...] obtained by the processes of communication intelligence from the communications of any foreign government." But it further explains that an "unauthorized person" is one who has not been "authorized to receive information... by the President." This morning, President Trump tweeted <http://fas.us8.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=33c6e6fc9f63792ebcbb7ef9d&id=d2eea23f97&e=eb134cdfa0> that <http://fas.us8.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=33c6e6fc9f63792ebcbb7ef9d&id=5cba45e51f&e=eb134cdfa0> "As President I wanted to share with Russia (at an openly scheduled W.H. meeting) which I have the absolute right to do, facts pertaining to terrorism and airline flight safety. Humanitarian reasons, plus I want Russia to greatly step up their fight against ISIS & terrorism." (Was the gratuitous parenthetical phrase "at an openly scheduled W.H. meeting" intended to rule out a clandestine transfer of classified information?) All of that is to say that this episode, though it may have far-reaching ramifications for national security, is probably not a matter for law enforcement. (Based on the reporting by the *Washington Post* <http://fas.us8.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=33c6e6fc9f63792ebcbb7ef9d&id=e3e4511baf&e=eb134cdfa0>, the President's actions did violate the terms of an intelligence sharing agreement with a foreign government that supplied the information. But that agreement would not be enforced by the criminal justice system.) Instead, this is something to be weighed by Congress, which has the responsibility to determine whether Donald J. Trump is fit to remain in office. ------------------------------ [image: Avast logo] <https://www.avast.com/antivirus> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/antivirus> <#m_1565008169306812305_m_-7328408288881675048_m_2987592215928622750_DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> __._,_.___ ------------------------------ Posted by: "Beowulf" <[email protected]> ------------------------------ Visit Your Group <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/grendelreport/info;_ylc=X3oDMTJmYWt2MTVrBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwMTk0ODA2BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTMyMzY2NwRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzE0OTQ5NjQ3NDE-> - New Members <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/grendelreport/members/all;_ylc=X3oDMTJnbnBsdHB0BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwMTk0ODA2BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTMyMzY2NwRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2bWJycwRzdGltZQMxNDk0OTY0NzQx> 1 [image: Yahoo! Groups] <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo;_ylc=X3oDMTJlMGd1ODV2BF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzIwMTk0ODA2BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTMyMzY2NwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNnZnAEc3RpbWUDMTQ5NDk2NDc0MQ--> • Privacy <https://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/groups/details.html> • Unsubscribe <[email protected]?subject=Unsubscribe> • Terms of Use <https://info.yahoo.com/legal/us/yahoo/utos/terms/> __,_._,___ -- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PoliticalForum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
