WASHINGTON -- Two U.S. attorneys will lead a pair of criminal investigations already under way into possible leaks of classified information within the executive and legislative branches of government, Attorney General Eric Holder said Friday.
The announcement followed President Barack Obama's denial Friday that the White House had deliberately leaked classified national security information that was flattering to him in this election year, calling such allegations "offensive" and "wrong." He promised investigations into the source of leaks about U.S. involvement in cyber-attacks on Iran and drone strikes on terrorism suspects.
Recent news articles contained details of U.S. involvement in a partially successful computer virus attack on Iran's nuclear program and on the selection of targets for counterterrorism assassination plots. The leaked information generally painted Obama as a decisive and hands-on commander in chief, and Republican critics suggested the leaks were orchestrated to boost Obama's re-election bid.
Obama said his critics "need to have a better sense of how I approach this office and how the people around me here approach this office."
"We're dealing with issues that can touch on the safety and security of the American people, our families or our military personnel or our allies, and so we don't play with that," he told reporters at a news conference.
In a statement issued hours after Obama's remarks, Holder said he was confident that the prosecutors would follow the facts and evidence wherever they led.
"The unauthorized disclosure of classified information can compromise the security of this country and all Americans, and it will not be tolerated," he said.
Holder assigned Ronald Machen, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, and Rod Rosenstein, the U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland, to direct separate investigations already being conducted by the FBI.
Three weeks ago, FBI Director Robert Mueller said the bureau had launched an investigation into who leaked information about an al-Qaida plot to place an explosive device aboard a U.S.-bound airline flight. Separately, calls have mounted on Capitol Hill for a probe into a New York Times story a week ago about U.S. involvement in cyberattacks on Iran.
Leaders of the Senate and House intelligence committees said Thursday that they were drafting legislation to further limit access to highly classified information and possibly impose new penalties for revealing it.
The House Intelligence Committee chairman, Rep. Mike Rogers, a Brighton Republican, said his committee would formally investigate the leaks but said he was concerned about getting cooperation from the two government agencies.
The strongest claims Tuesday came from Obama's 2008 opponent, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. "They're intentionally leaking information to enhance President Obama's image as a tough guy for the elections," McCain said after taking to the Senate floor to list some of the alleged breaches. "That is unconscionable."
McCain called on the White House to appoint an outside special counsel to investigate.
There are at least three investigations ongoing into disclosures of classified information.