Closed-off government hurts the public, journalists say
Submitted on April 11, 2006 - 12:00am.
Elaine Marsilio - Spring 2006
WASHINGTON – The American public will lose out if the Bush administration tries to prevent all leaks of classified information to the media, some journalists say.
In its second term, the administration has been cracking down on whistleblowers and leakers – reporters' inside-government sources.
“The Bush administration came to town with the purpose of exerting better control over information as a way of restoring power to the executive branch,” said Paul McMasters, First Amendment ombudsman at the Freedom Forum.
In fact, Bush can declassify information whenever he chooses, press secretary Scott McClellan said Friday.
In its second term, the administration has been cracking down on whistleblowers and leakers – reporters' inside-government sources.
“The Bush administration came to town with the purpose of exerting better control over information as a way of restoring power to the executive branch,” said Paul McMasters, First Amendment ombudsman at the Freedom Forum.
In fact, Bush can declassify information whenever he chooses, press secretary Scott McClellan said Friday.
Full text available to subscribers only.