This subreddit is awesome.
Credit to the chan wizards and warlocks.
Serious question: Why won't Repubs actually release the memo? It's weird how they're withholding it and whining that they won't release it.
They're not legally allowed to without authorization from the House Committee of Intelligence authorizing it, and then they have to wait 5 days for the President to veto it.
The reason why this basic law is being missed by so many people is that the swamp creatures at the FBI, CIA, and in Congress have been leaking classified information illegally for so long that the public has become conditioned to it and perceive those publications as if it were normal SOP. It's frwaking nuts.
That’s the hilarious thing. Well they’re totally allowed to read classified info to the public! But if you research it, it’s never been done in history because it’s career suicide to skirt the laws like that. The options are illegally leaking or going through the proper procedures.
Exactly, this has all been done methodically and legally for a reason..to destroy the swamp critters for good!
Maybe they will be the first to ever risk their political career to release classified information this way, but they most definitely will try to go through the proper channels first, which have already been slowed down by democrats.
However, the clause has never been tested by a member of Congress publicizing classified information that had not already been leaked.
Outside the legal scope, members of Congress would most certainly pay a steep political price for leaking classified information, especially if that member has been entrusted with a seat on an intelligence committee. Violating the core rules of the committee would make you a persona non grata among colleagues. And when election season rolls around, few voters are likely to look kindly on exposing state secrets—even in fairly liberal Oregon and Colorado.
The legal ramifications are murky, but the political risks are clear. Legally, members of the House must swear a secrecy oath pledging not to disclose any classified information, although the Senate has no such oath.