The leaking and publication of classified information has always been a murky area in criminal law, except when genuine military secrets are involved. Until the Pentagon papers case, the Government never bothered to prosecute. That would change radically if President Nixon's proposed Criminal Code Reform Act of 1973 is passed. For the first time, disclosure of any classified material would automatically be considered a felony. Any future Daniel Ellsberg would therefore be stripped of the defense that the revealed data did not harm national security. Reporters would be liable for prosecution if they published such material. Violators would face possible...
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