Spicer Scolds Press for Reporting on Substance of Leaks Not on Fact Leaks Are Illegal

‘While it is completely appropriate to share classified information with individuals who are cleared, it is clearly not the case ... when it is illegally leaked out’

EXCERPT:

SPICER: "I think the thing that's important to know -- is there somewhat of a double standard when it comes to classified information? When leaks are made illegally to the press, and you all report them, the coverage focuses almost entirely on the substance of the allegations and -- that -- that are part of an illegal leak, not on the illegal nature of the disclosure, the identity of the leaks or their agenda. But when the information that is occurring now which is two individuals who were properly cleared or three or whoever he met with, I don’t know, that they are sharing stuff that is entirely legal with the appropriate clearances, and then there is an obsession on the process. And it's sort of an -- it's -- it's a backwards way that when you all report on stuff with sources that are leaking, illegally leaking classified information, that's appropriate and fine, no one questions that, the substance and the material; when two to individuals or however many are engaged in this process, have a discussion that is 100 percent legal and appropriate and clear, suddenly the obsession becomes about the process and not the substance. And I think that it is somewhat reckless and dis — how -- how the conversation over classified information is discussed without while sort of attempting to press a false narrative that exists. So while it is completely appropriate to share classified information with individuals who are cleared, it is clearly not the case to do that with when it is illegally leaked out, and I think that is the irony of how this whole conversation has gone."

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