Thursday, November 10, 2005

US Code

One reporter in the whitehouse press briefing yesterday read a few passages from US code, but I am not altogether familiar with how to find the actual text. Could someone help here? Here's the text of her statement:
Q With respect to the ethics guidelines, I understand there's a document that was, I presume, being used, prepared by the Office of Government Ethics for the briefings. And I have just a few questions, if you could clarify this. Under 18 U.S. Code Section 2, would public disclosure of classified information constitute an offense against the United States government?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that's for the authorities to determine and our legal system to determine....

Q The reason I ask is because -- if you'll forgive me for a minute -- under this particular code section -- section two, principles -- it says that, "Whoever commits an offense against the United States or aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces, or procures its commission is punishable as a principal;" and secondly, "Whoever willfully causes an act to be done, which is directly performed by him or another, would be an offense against the United States, is punishable as a principal." And then, I'll give the other --

MR. McCLELLAN: Okay, thank you. That's been put into the record. Now, what are you trying to suggest?...

Q Okay, so -- would any government official involved in the leaking of classified information, or in any way involved in making false statements about that, would they be in violation of 18 U.S. Section 1001, which -- and I'll end here --

...Q Well, fine, but I'll save some time. "Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative or judicial branch of the government of the United States, knowingly and willfully, (1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device, a material fact, (2), makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation, or (3), makes or uses any false writing or document, knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or entry."

Humm...sounds like trouble for the W, Rove and Co.

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