The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Four charged in White House leaks crackdown
us: Attorney general says criminals will be brought to justice
The US attorney general has said four people have been charged over leaks as the Trump administration launched a crackdown on embarrassing disclosures.
Jeff Sessions said the suspects were accused of divulging classified material or concealed contacts with foreign intelligence officers.
He has pledged to rein in government leaks that he said undermine American security, taking an aggressive public stand after being called weak on the matter by President Donald Trump.
The nation’s top law enforcement official cited no current investigations in which disclosures of information had jeopardised the country.
His announcement, made with other security officials at the Justice Department, followed a series of news reports involving the Trump campaign and White House that have relied on classified information.
In prepared remarks, Mr Sessions said: “No one is entitled to surreptitiously fight their battles in the media by revealing sensitive government information.
“No government can be effective when its leaders cannot discuss sensitive matters in confidence or to talk freely in confidence with foreign leaders.”
Meanwhile, a White House adviser raised the possibility of lie detector tests for the small number of people in the West Wing and elsewhere with access to transcripts of Mr Trump’s phone calls.
The Washington Post has published transcripts of his conversations with the leaders of Mexico and Australia.
Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway told Fox & Friends that “it’s easier to figure out who’s leaking than the leakers may realise”.
When asked if lie detectors might be used, she said: “Well, they may, they may not.”
Mr Trump’s outbursts against media organisations he derides as “fake news” have led to predictions that his administration will more aggressively try to root out leaks.
Mr Trump complained on Twitter last week that Mr Sessions was weak in cracking down on leaks, saying: “Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!”
Mr Sessions said: “This nation must end the culture of leaks. We will investigate and seek to bring criminals to justice.”