Woman held for Russia probe leaks
The US justice department on Monday announced the arrest of an intelligence contractor for allegedly leaking a classified document related to Russian interference in the 2016 elections.
This was the first arrest for unauthorised disclosure of classified information under the Trump administration.
Reality Leigh Winner, 25, a federal contractor working at an intelligence community facility in Georgia, was charged with “removing classified material from a government facility and mailing it to a news outlet”, the justice department said.
The Intercept website ran a story on Monday saying Russian interference in the US election went much deeper than previously reported, based on information it said was provided by an anonymous source.
Winner was employed with Pluribus International Corporation, and the justice department said she held top secret clearance.
The administration is likely to be tested severely over the Russia links when sacked FBI director James Comey testifies about his conversations with President Donal Trump on Thursday. The White House was expected to block him, invoking the president’s executive privilege, but has said it would not.
The White House also continues to be buffeted by backlash to Trump’s decision to pull the US out of the Paris climate accord. The acting US ambassador to China David Rank has resigned in protest, just days before Trump’s nominee Terry Brandstad is expected to take charge.
But it’s the Russia probe that poses the administration the bigger challenge. Federal and congressional investigations are underway into Russian meddling in the elections and allegations of members of Trump’s campaign team colluding in it.