Federal Investigators Spied On New York Times Reporter James Risen

by Alex Alvarez | 4:06 pm, February 25th, 2011

» 5 comments

Federal authorities have been delving, deeply, into the personal activities of Pulitzer-winning New York Times reporter James Risen in their investigation to discover who leaked information to Risen about a CIA attempt to disrupt Iran’s nuclear program – information Risen wrote about in his 2006 book State of War.

Former CIA officer Jeffrey Sterling is currently on trial for allegedly disclosing classified information to Risen, including the agency’s plan to hand Iran incorrect nuclear blueprints. The prosecution in Sterling’s case, say his lawyers, have so far looked into Risen’s phone record, a list of his flights, his three credit reports, credit card statements and banking information. Risen, who has said the investigation makes him feel like “a target of spying,” joked to Politico that “Maybe I should ask them what my credit score is.”

Risen has already been subpoenaed twice in an effort to get him to testify about his sources, and says he was never notified that his phone records were being searched. It has also been reported that Risen’s email and phone conversations with Sterling were recorded by the government while Risen was doing research for his book. The author steadfastly refused to help with the investigation to indict Sterling.

Risen, who is named solely as “Author A” in the indictment, and his lawyers are arguing that he has been “a victim of harassment by the government.”

h/t Politico

CIA, James Risen, Jeffrey Sterling, New York Times

BadGenome

They probably just wanted to see if David Weigel from the year 2035 had come back in time to steal Trent Lott’s hair. (I know. The lack of acne scars should have been a tip off that this wasn’t the case, but the CIA isn’t very smart.)
Harry Flashman

And why wouldn’t they?

To NOT try to find out where he got his information would be dereliction of the worst sort. Sorry, but being a “reporter” doesn’t exclude you from issues of national security.

I know, I know…there there….shhhhhh. it’s all right.
http://TheDividedStatesBlog.com Publius219

Harry Flashman said:
And why wouldn’t they?

To NOT try to find out where he got his information would be dereliction of the worst sort. Sorry, but being a “reporter” doesn’t exclude you from issues of national security.

I know, I know…there there….shhhhhh. it’s all right.

Of course. Why would we dare let anyone speak out about failed covert government operations? They’re covert for a reason! We The People!!!!!1 just can’t handle the turth!!!!!!!!!!!
Wallycrawler

Open Your Eyes
Video games train the kids for war. Army chic in high-fashion
stores. Law and order’s done their job. Prisons filled while
the rich still rob. Assassination politics. Violence rules
within’ our nation’s midst. Well ignorance is their power tool.
You’ll only know what they want you to know. The television
cannot lie. Controlling media with smokescreen eyes. Nuclear
politicians picture show. The acting’s lousy but the blind don’t
know. They scare us all with threats of war. So we forget
just how bad things are. You taste the fear when you’re all
alone. They gonna git’cha when you’re on your own. The silence of conspiracy. Slaughtered on the altar of apathy. You gotta take up from your sleep. ‘Cause meek inherits earth…six feet deep.
Open your eyes see the lies right in front of ya.
Open your eyes…..

Stiv Bator
BOMBSHELL

My daddy (GBR) says that Risen is George Sore-oh’s son. He does look like ol’ Georgie boy.