Gonzales Says Publishing Leaks Is A Crime

loqi writes "The NY Times is reporting on a statement from US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales declaring that journalists may be prosecuted by the federal government for publishing classified information. On the 1st amendment ramifications: "'But it can't be the case that that right trumps over the right that Americans would like to see, the ability of the federal government to go after criminal activity,' he said. 'And so those two principles have to be accommodated.'" So our 1st amendment rights don't trump the right of the federal government to violate them?"

Comments

Re:Congress shall make no law...

[Junior J. Junior III]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Ah, but you're forgetting Article Zero of the Constitution. I know, you probably haven't heard of it. It's small, and written in pencil on the back side of the Constitution. No one had even noticed it until after 9/11. It reads:

"The President shall have sole interpative power over this here documint. Or if he's busy, then Cheney can read it too."

The whole problem with the First Amendment is that word in the middle of it, respecting. "Congress shall make no law respecting..." You know, I don't see a whole lot of respect for the press here... Ergo, this is entirely Constitutional.