CNN says Trump administration secretly obtained phone and email records of Pentagon reporter

You know it

MSgt Steve Sweeney MSgt, I grasp the points rather well. I’m reading between lines of what information I could bet wouldn’t be reported by a verifiably polarized media outlet, even if they had knowledge of those details. Based upon my knowledge and experience in how the INFOSEC and OPSEC programs work on the back side of spillage, it doesn’t matter what your profession is. If you’re suspected of being a part of that spillage, you’re going to be investigated. There is no gray area there. You’re also not going to be receiving any kind of certified correspondence telling you that you’re under surveillance. If you weren’t privy to it, then you have nothing to worry about. Now if the system for obtaining authorization to begin surveillance was abused and misused the same way it was under the Obama administration, then we have identified a legitimate issue within the system that needs to be addressed. If not, then this story a nothing burger and is business as usual.

SFC James Cameron - Okay then, I am asking you to provide any example of a journalist that was ever investigated and/or charged by the U.S. DOJ for mishandling classified material.

Let me help... Start with NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY, Petitioner, v. UNITED STATES. UNITED STATES, Petitioner, v. The WASHINGTON POST COMPANY et al. I have included a link that will help with the details. It boils down to:

"The press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of government and inform the people. Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government." - Justice Hugo Black

Let me know what you find out.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/05/why-the-press-can-publish-any-classified-material-it-likes/371488/

And once again, MSgt, you’re being intentionally daft. Any civilian personnel that works in conjunction with a military organization (like a media attaché) will receive the same OPSEC training as all other personnel and in cases where Classified material has more potential for spillage will most likely also have signed waivers and NDAs. Just because you hold a foaming at the mouth liberal viewpoint doesn’t make you right, Top. The standard is the standard the law is the law. Investigating spillage is a far cry different from attempting punishment for reporting. What your precious story won’t tell you is that if information is held by those with need to know and clearance and those that meet that criteria are a small selection it is rather easy to follow the trail of communication to those most likely to have been in receipt of spilled classified information will be investigated. Which is why the press corps at the Pentagon have probably all been investigated.

MSgt Steve Sweeney as a caveat, the surveillance was most likely performed in effort to discover the source of spillage that is accountable to UCMJ authority rather than civil authority as those cases are much easier to resolve.