Here's why you need to read past the headlines

posted by The Vidiot @ 11:13 AM Permalink

Headlines:

Staffer suspended over leak of intel report

Democratic House staffer suspended over Iraq leak

Democrat staffer suspected leaker

And what evidence was there that the staffer leaked it? Admittedly, none!

"I have no credible information to say any classified information was leaked from the committee's minority staff. . . . This may in fact be only coincidence and simply 'look bad,' " LaHood said in his letter, but he requested a formal inquiry.

So maybe there was another reason? Ahh, here we go:

LaHood Admits He Was 'Playing Politics' When He Asked For Intel Staffer To Be Suspended

This week, on the request of Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL), Intelligence Chairman Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) suspended a Democratic staffer’s access to classified information. Hoekstra said the suspension would remain in place pending a review to determine if that staffer leaked a classified National Intelligence Estimate to the New York Times.

Today on Fox News, LaHood said, "I'll tell you why I did it. The reason I did it was because Jane Harman released the Duke Cunningham — who sat on our Intelligence committee — report."

That report, which detailed the misconduct of Cunningham, who is now serving a jail term, was not classified.

A Fox anchor asked, "So, it’s payback?" LaHood responded, "There are some of us on the other side who can equally play politics, and I’m not afraid to do it."

That would be the unclassified report saying this:

The dispute appears to result from the argument over the report on Mr. Cunningham, which Michael Stern, a special counsel appointed jointly by Mr. Hoekstra and Ms. Harman, wrote. That report found that Mr. Cunningham had used his committee position to help steer $70 million in contracts to favored companies.