The American Spectator

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Loose Canons

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Next, DoD could grant security clearances to a committee of say, a dozen retired editors, broadcasters and consultants. These consultants -- who would be on the committee in equal number to the journalists -- would be hired from among the retired intelligence and defense communities. They would be sworn to not leak anything to any news media, at any time, and their duty would be as a fiduciary. Any breach of it would be sanctionable in court, and with permanent loss of their security clearance. To operate, the committee would be given a SCIF - a sensitive compartmented information facility -- secure phones and agree to be on call 24/7.

Anytime a reporter, an editor or a broadcaster was leaked classified information -- or information, such as what Bill Gertz reported that should be recognizable as classified even if not so labeled by the source -- the leak would be tossed to the Classified Reporting Committee. They would read it, confer on it, and vote -- all within two hours -- on whether it should be published. Any report not having a two-thirds vote in favor of publication would be spiked.

The Committee's members will have vastly different views on many leaks. But their decision would be final, and all the media would agree to abide by it. No appeals, no second chances, and no quibbling.

This system won't be perfect, and not many in the press will want to abide by any system that gives editorial control to anyone outside their publication. But with freedom comes responsibility. I'd rather accept the responsibility than risk losing the freedom.

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