Republican Senator Chuck Grassley is critical of the way the nation’s attorney general is handling the investigation of intelligence leaks. “In the past month there’s been a number of damaging classified national security leaks to the media,”Grassley says.
“Every leak is damaging national security, but the most dangerous ones threaten on-going operations and risk the lives of men and woman who are working abroad.” Critics like Grassley say national security has been compromised by Obama Administration officials who, for example, leaked information to reporters about a computer virus that attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and revealed details about unmanned drone attacks on suspected terrorists.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has asked U.S. Attorneys, who are appointed to those posts by the president, to investigate the leaks.
“Despite attempts to package this as a special prosecutor, the attorney general’s decision treats this grave national security matter like a regular criminal investigation,” Grassley says.
Holder counters that “tough prosecutors” are handling the investigation. Grassley also suggests there’s a conflict of interest brewing if some of the employees in Holder’s Department of Justice wind up being the sources who leaked the information to the media. Grassley made his comments today as Holder appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Another Republican senator at the same hearing called on Holder to resign. Holder said he has no intention of stepping down.