Their names are now infamous: Mark Felt, Daniel Ellsberg, Linda Trip, and Bradley Manning. To some, they are heroes who disclosed vital information that helped preserve our democracy, yet to others, they were villains who endangered the very security of the United States.
Recently, DOD Unauthorized Disclosure Program Management Office (UDPMO) Chief Henry Nelson answered questions from his Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) office about how to draw the line between an “unauthorized disclosure” and whistleblowing. The former is seen as criminal, whereas the latter can be heralded as stopping potential criminal acts by those in power. What they share in common is that each involves those Americans who are entrusted with classified and controlled unclassified information (CUI).
Nelson shared, “DOD civilians, service members and contractors are privy to some of the most sensitive and closely held information. It is a violation of law and of the oath of office to divulge, in any fashion, non-public DOD information – classified or controlled unclassified – to anyone without the required security clearance, specific need to know and a lawful government purpose. By definition, this would be an unauthorized disclosure. Divulging information in violation of these precepts weakens the department’s ability to protect the security of the nation against its adversaries.”
Bobby McDonald, professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven noted that...
False sexual or rape allegations can have devastating consequences for the accused, including reputational damage, loss of employment and emotional trauma. In Nigeria, current legislation focuses ...