When The FBI Raids The Times

TomPaine.com - When The FBI Raids The Times:

To paraphrase Alice's walrus, the time has come to talk of scary things.

The New York Times has spurred the anger of the Bush administration by reporting on a program to monitor international banking transactions as part of the government's counterterrorism program. Critics argue this is the equivalent of reporting on troop movements or disclosing the existence of secret weaponry. You don't have to look too hard online to find posters of the World War II 'loose lips sink ships' variety that pretty much blame the Times for the deaths of American soldiers.

The National Review urged the administration to revoke the Times, White House credentials. U.S. Rep Peter King, R-N.Y., said the Times should be brought up on charges of treason.

The current climate leads me to ponder a what-if scenario. One that I hope is as far-fetched as I believe it to be. But imagine the possibility suggested by the recent rhetorical attacks and threats of prosecution.

What if the U.S. Attorney's office in New York, bolstered by a cadre of federal marshals or FBI agents, entered the offices of The New York Times, looking to rummage through the paper's files and computers either to find the source of the leaks for the banking story or to make sure the Times isn't about to publish another story allegedly damaging to national security?"

(Read On ^; don't think it can't happen here, it's already happening.)