So, on Friday, yet another “unidentified source” leaked the information that the Special Counsel for Russian Interference had obtained the first indictments from a federal grand jury. Whoever decided to leak this material is engaging in an attempt to generate a plethora of stories about the possibilities of what crime has been committed and who is going to be arrested. It may also be an attempt on the part of the Special Counsel to see who scurries the fastest and who runs for cover, as in attempts to leave the U.S. All of these are possibilities, and they will all be discussed ad nauseam on the Sunday television talk shows. What goes overlooked is that the act of leaking this information is, in and of itself, a criminal act. Regardless of the motive, this leak is an effort to manipulate your perception of what is happening in Washington. Beware of such leaks and recognize them for what they are, stories carried by political operatives hiding behind the political curtain of “the public’s right to know.” Also, beware of the stories that spin off these leaks as they spring, Athena-like, from the fertile brows of the talking heads on television, and those who style themselves journalists in today’s media morass of mediocrity. Do your own research and be wary of those who offer you their conclusions or speculation as fact.
While a leak from a Grand July is very illegal, does a leak from a “Special Investigation” fall into the same category?
Earlier, there was some speculation that Donald Jnr was going to be the designated fall guy, and yet that speculation seems to have evaporated. Are you aware of any leaks on this subject?
“Special Investigations” use Grand Juries just like all other federal investigations and are subject to the same requirements and laws. Kim, I don’t look for leaks anymore, I just comment when one occurs that is obviously politically motivated.