Peter King: Prosecute Journalists Who Leak

Peter King is not messing around when it comes to journalists who help leak classified information. The congressman told Anderson Cooper on CNN last night that, "if they willingly knew that this was classified information," they should be prosecuted and punished. "I think, something of this magnitude, there is an obligation—both moral but also legal, I believe—against a reporter disclosing something which would so severely compromise national security." He added that "in the past several years a number of reporters ... have been prosecuted" under the Espionage Act.

The response from Glenn Greenwald, who broke the NSA leak story: "Is is [sic] true, as I was just told, that Peter King on CNN called for criminal prosecution of journalists reporting the NSA stories?" he tweeted. As for Edward Snowden, King says he's a traitor and should definitely face charges. (More Peter King stories.)