"Loose lips" kill Americans, says GOP House Speaker
We all know that speaking about the evil our government does makes the troops cry. So just Shut Up, America. For your own good. Before Denny Hastert has to hit you again.
"Loose Lips" kill Americans, top Republican saysRead more ...
Wednesday, June 28
By Andy SullivanWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Declaring that "loose lips" kill Americans, a top congressional Republican leader said on Wednesday the House of Representatives would debate a resolution condemning the U.S. media for exposing details of secret intelligence programs.
The move heaps more criticism on The New York Times and other newspapers that reported last week on a secret program by the U.S. Treasury Department that monitors private bank records in an effort to track terrorist organizations.
"What we're talking about is people who are leaking classified information. It's not news. It's classified information our government is using to fight terrorists," said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, of Illinois.
"Loose lips kill American people," he added.
The nonbinding resolution, released later in the day, said the House "expects the cooperation of all news media organizations in protecting the lives of Americans and the capability of the government to identify, disrupt and capture terrorists by not disclosing classified intelligence programs such as the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program."
A floor vote is scheduled for Thursday, said a spokesman for House Majority Leader John Boehner.
News reports of the bank-monitoring program and a separate surveillance effort that monitors phone traffic without a court warrant have drawn criticism from President George W. Bush and other Republicans who say coverage of the programs undermines their effectiveness.
A New York Times spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment. The paper's executive editor has said the extraordinary reach of the bank-monitoring program "is a matter of public interest."
