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Rand Paul: Intel Chief Clapper Bigger Threat Than Snowden
Wednesday, December 18, 2013 07:02 PM
By: Greg Richter
National Intelligence Director James Clapper is a bigger threat to U.S. security than National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, Sen. Rand Paul says.
Paul, R-Ky., told CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" on Wednesday that Clapper's "lying" to Congress was a criminal act for which he should be prosecuted.
"Otherwise, you're just encouraging people to lie to us," he said.
Paul was referring to Clapper's testimony in March to a Senate committee in which he said the NSA was not collecting any type of data on "millions or hundreds of millions of Americans."
NSA contract employee Snowden's leaks of classified documents just a few months later proved Clapper's words to be untrue.
Paul told CNN there have to be rules about leaks, and Snowden broke the law in taking the classified data. Still, he said, many consider Snowden a legitimate whistle-blower.
Clapper's false testimony, on the other hand, has damaged the credibility of the intelligence community, Paul said. He said it was perjury and punishable by time in jail.
"I think the law is the law, and they both broke the law, and that one shouldn't get off scot-free," Paul said.
