McClatchy on Obama’s Crackdown on Government Leaks

McClatchy always seems to do a better job covering national security issues than other mainstream news sources. For example, they were highly skeptical – correctly, as it turns out – of the claims being made by the Bush administration during the run up to the Iraq War.

Here is another example of their work entitled, Obama’s crackdown views leaks as aiding enemies of U.S. It describes what seems to be disturbing, and yet ineffective, overreach by the Obama administration in detecting potential leakers of classified information and attempting to stop them. One problem, of course, is the overuse of government classification of documents and information. The more information you’re trying to contain, the more difficult it’s going to be. Co-workers and supervisors of contractors and employees are given incentives to report on suspicions about individuals who might be leaking information.

As part of the initiative, Obama ordered greater protection for whistleblowers who use the proper internal channels to report official waste, fraud and abuse, but that’s hardly comforting to some national security experts and current and former U.S. officials. They worry that the Insider Threat Program won’t just discourage whistleblowing but will have other grave consequences for the public’s right to know and national security.

The program could make it easier for the government to stifle the flow of unclassified and potentially vital information to the public, while creating toxic work environments poisoned by unfounded suspicions and spurious investigations of loyal Americans, according to these current and former officials and experts. Some non-intelligence agencies already are urging employees to watch their co-workers for “indicators” that include stress, divorce and financial problems.

“It was just a matter of time before the Department of Agriculture or the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) started implementing, ‘Hey, let’s get people to snitch on their friends.’ The only thing they haven’t done here is reward it,” said Kel McClanahan, a Washington lawyer who specializes in national security law. “I’m waiting for the time when you turn in a friend and you get a $50 reward.”