Mac Ranger has been listening in on the internal investigation regarding the leaks of the criticial Terrorist Surveillance Program run by the NSA and the CIA programs to transfer suspected terrorists into US custody. The focus is coming down on two heavy weight Democrat Senators: Rockefeller and Durbin.

This source expands on the Washington Post story and confirms some of Mac Rangers information that these two US Senators (and their staff) may be facing polygraph tests.

During the Bush Administration, a nexus of politicians, government workers and members of the news media have worked overtime in leaking classified information. From the secret terrorist prisons to the National Security Agency’s super-secret surveillance program, intelligence officials and the Bush Administration have had to watch their counterterrorism efforts neutralized for political reasons.

Special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation recently interviewed dozens of employees at the CIA, the NSA and other intelligence agencies as part of an intense and wide-reaching investigation. Many employees who possess security clearances at the CIA, FBI, the Justice Department and other agencies received letters from the Justice Department forbidding them from discussing even unclassified intelligence programs.

But people such as former deputy-undersecretary of Defense Jed Babbin don’t think the Justice Department investigators and prosecutors have the guts to indict a US senator. Babbin said it would cause a battle royal on the Hill, if not a constitutional crisis.

He did say however, that any senator or Congressional staffer that holds a security clearance can be asked at any time to take a polygraph. The individual can of course refuse to take the test, but failure to do so is reason to remove that person’s security clearance. Babbin further said that Senators Rockefeller, Durbin, and Wyden, and some on their staffs will soon be requested to take polygraphs.

Senators and their staff may refuse, but they will also lose their clearances and are still exposed to criminal prosecution. And if the word leaks out these people did refuse it is over for the Democrats. The Democrat staffers will not hold a united front here – they aren’t paid enough, are treated like garbage and are not idealogues. The squeeling must be intense right now as the rats jump ship. And I think this will expose a rift in the Democrats between the honest statesman and the do-anything-to-win pols.

But it’s not only the Bush Administration that is frustrated with all the leaks and news stories. Recently Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-CA) said straight out that the New York Times, which ran a frontpage story on the top secret NSA spy program, should be prosecuted for their actions.

Some news stories have pointed fingers at Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), co-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, as a possible leaker. Others cited sources that pointed to senate staffers. Still others believe that liberal politicians in both parties are secretly leaking information to the news media for political reasons.

If I was a Democrat I would not want to be on the wrong side of Jane Harmon. She exemplifies credibility and seriousness about national security. I end in noting the credentials of this author:

Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police.

Wow!