National Security Director Adm. Mike Rogers said Monday that the leak of surveilled transcripts that should stay classified is an act that can “hurt” U.S. national security.
Rogers was pressed on the issue by Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., who was asking about the leak of a wiretapped conversation between former national security adviser Mike Flynn and the Russian ambassador to the U.S., Sergei Kislyak. That leak contributed to Flynn’s decision to step down in the first few weeks of the Trump administration.
When asked if those kinds of leaks hurt U.S. national security, Rogers quickly answered, “hurt.”
Rooney and other Republicans, including Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., repeatedly pressed Rogers and FBI Director James Comey about the rules involving how people being surveilled can be “unmasked.”
“Do you think that that leak actually threatens our national security?” Rooney asked. “If it’s a crime and if it’s unveiling a masked person…”
“Yes, sir,” Rogers answered.
Later, Gowdy asked Comey if it’s still illegal to disseminate classified information.
“Oh yes. Sure, it’s a serious crime,” Comey said. “I’m not going to comment on those particular articles, because I don’t want to… compound a criminal act by confirming that it was classified information. But in general, yes, it’s a serious crime, and it should be.”
As part of Gowdy’s effort to learn how the leak might have come out, Gowdy asked if Comey ever briefed President Obama about the Flynn case. But Comey declined to answer.
Gowdy later drilled down on the details with Comey on how a Flynn phone call could be leaked, or how the media could find out about such a phone call.
“If it was declassified and then discussed in a judicial proceeding or a congressional hearing, something like that,” Comey answered when asked how the details might be leaked legally.
“And assume none of those facts are in play, how would they know?” Gowdy asked.
“Someone told them that shouldn’t have told them,” Comey said.
