Rep. John Ratcliffe praised the Justice Department on Wednesday for launching investigations into those who disclose classified information.
“When people disclose America’s most sensitive national security information there has to be consequences,” Mr. Ratcliffe, Texas Republican, said on Fox News.
Mr. Ratcliffe was reacting to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday in which he said his department was currently looking at 27 cases of classified information leaks. Mr. Sessions also said the unmasking of American’s identities in information gathered from the National Security Agency would be part of his inquiry.
This issue gained attention in the 2016 campaign when it was revealed those in the Obama Justice Department had unmasked the identities of President Trump’s aides during the presidential campaign for what they claimed was national security reasons.
“That’s one of the things I was most comforted to hear from the attorney general was that they’re ’pedal to the metal’ with respect to holding people accountable for those types of violations in law, which are the most serious and the most damaging to our national security,” Mr. Ratcliffe said regarding both disclosing classified information and unmasking.
Mr. Trump has previously expressed frustration with Mr. Sessions and the Justice Department for not investigating leaks coming from the administration in the past.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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