Reno Questions Measure to Prohibit Classified Leaks to News Media
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WASHINGTON — Sponsors of legislation to make disclosing classified information to the news media a felony punishable by up to three years in prison agreed to take a closer look on Wednesday after strong objections were lodged by Atty. Gen. Janet Reno.
But Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and principal sponsor of the measure, said he had no intention of weakening the proposed legislation, which has already been approved by his panel and is awaiting a vote by the full Senate.
“We basically agree that we need a tougher criminal statute,” Shelby told reporters after his committee met behind closed doors with Reno, CIA Director George J. Tenet and FBI Director Louis J. Freeh.
“We’re not interested in watering anything down,” Shelby said.
The Clinton administration opposes the legislation, approved by the Senate panel in April as part of its annual legislation authorizing programs for the coming fiscal year for the CIA, the National Security Agency and other intelligence agencies.
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