- previous
- 1
- 2
- | single page
"I think it's sad. It sends all the wrong signals," said Robert Turner, co-founder of the Center for Law and National Security Law at the University of Virginia School of Law.
"I think what he did was a betrayal of trust, and he's essentially walking on it."
Turner said that allowing government employees to leak secrets without facing strong penalties has serious consequences for national security. "If we cannot keep secrets, we will not get many secrets," said Turner, a former intelligence adviser in both the White House and Congress.
Turner said he wasn't faulting the prosecutors, and in fact, praised the Obama administration for going after Drake and others accused of leaking government secrets. The fact that prosecutors had to withdraw and redact documents indicates the level of sensitivity of information that the government must protect, even at the expense of letting Drake off on a much-reduced charge.
"The reality of it is some of the best evidence, they could not reveal," Turner said.
Under the plea agreement signed by both sides on Thursday, Drake admits to exceeding his authorized access and obtaining information from the government. While the maximum sentence for this offense is one year in prison, the U.S. attorney's office agreed not to oppose a "noncustodial sentence" and to dismiss the other counts against Drake.
Drake had rejected the previous settlement offers because he was "adamant that he would not plea bargain with the truth," Radack said.
She said the case could have established "a horrible precedent" had Drake had been found guilty of espionage charges. Whistleblowers who reveal government wrongdoing, she said, are not spies.
"If you paint someone with the word espionage," Radack said, "you paint them with the brush of being a traitor to their country."
Los Angeles Times reporter Ken Dilanian contributed to this article.
jean.marbella@baltsun.com
Los Angeles Times reporter Ken Dilanian contributed to this article.
jean.marbella@baltsun.com
Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts
"I think what he did was a betrayal of trust, and he's essentially walking on it."
Turner said that allowing government employees to leak secrets without facing strong penalties has serious consequences for national security. "If we cannot keep secrets, we will not get many secrets," said Turner, a former intelligence adviser in both the White House and Congress.
Turner said he wasn't faulting the prosecutors, and in fact, praised the Obama administration for going after Drake and others accused of leaking government secrets. The fact that prosecutors had to withdraw and redact documents indicates the level of sensitivity of information that the government must protect, even at the expense of letting Drake off on a much-reduced charge.
"The reality of it is some of the best evidence, they could not reveal," Turner said.
Under the plea agreement signed by both sides on Thursday, Drake admits to exceeding his authorized access and obtaining information from the government. While the maximum sentence for this offense is one year in prison, the U.S. attorney's office agreed not to oppose a "noncustodial sentence" and to dismiss the other counts against Drake.
Drake had rejected the previous settlement offers because he was "adamant that he would not plea bargain with the truth," Radack said.
She said the case could have established "a horrible precedent" had Drake had been found guilty of espionage charges. Whistleblowers who reveal government wrongdoing, she said, are not spies.
"If you paint someone with the word espionage," Radack said, "you paint them with the brush of being a traitor to their country."
Los Angeles Times reporter Ken Dilanian contributed to this article.
jean.marbella@baltsun.com
Los Angeles Times reporter Ken Dilanian contributed to this article.
jean.marbella@baltsun.com
Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts
