# Resolved: Whoever leaked news of the 9/11 anniversary plot should be charged with treason

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [September 9, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678 "2011-09-09T00:40:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/1 "2011-09-09T00:40:24Z")

</div>

Really, motherfuckers?

The news organizations just _happened_ to receive word of a plot involving some trucks possibly maybe in the Kansas City area that might possibly perhaps have something to do with a 10-year anniversary attack? And they got the news a couple of minutes after Obama started his jobs speech? _Before_ the Feds have had a chance to send their bulletin to relevant local law enforcement agencies?

And you expect us to _buy_ that this was something that just _had_ to preempt any discussion or analysis of the speech, or maybe even the speech itself?

I smell elephant shit. And Stephanopolous should be fucking ashamed of himself. Credulous fucktards.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/2 "2011-09-09T01:33:41Z")

</div>

Something you don’t like happened, so of course it’s the Republicans’ fault. Yeesh almighty.

I agree with your general sentiment though that leaking this info is probably actionable on some level. However, the leak could have been a strategic move by law enforcement itself.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/3 "2011-09-09T01:41:54Z")

</div>

But if it’s a republican plot, why was Fox News talking about the Obama speech and CNN was talking about the terror plot? :eek:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/5 "2011-09-09T01:48:08Z")

</div>

I had the news on while I was doing some work this afternoon, and the possible terror plot was announced at least an hour before the speech, not after it had started.

It’s a few days before 9/11/2011. I smell nothing.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/6 "2011-09-09T01:54:19Z")

</div>

> [@carter12](#):
>
> You say too well …[lotro gold](http://www.buygamegolds.com/gold_lotro-gold-eu.html),

Reported.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/7 "2011-09-09T02:21:27Z")

</div>

Agreed (Jesus Christ, this is awkward to type) with Rand Rover on this one. For one thing, look at Republicans proudly [planning to skip Obama’s speech in order to watch football](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chambers/post/reid-turns-tables-on-obama-speech-skippers-by-setting-thursday-night-debt-vote/2011/09/08/gIQAH8kRCK_blog.html). A big conspiratorial staged leak is both too dangerous for them and unnecessary, when they’re willing to dis the president openly.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/8 "2011-09-09T04:10:56Z")

</div>

> [@Harborwolf](#):
>
> But if it’s a republican plot, why was Fox News talking about the Obama speech and CNN was talking about the terror plot? :eek:

Because CNN has managed to devolve itself into something that has become irrelevant. It’s sad that this once proud franchise is respected less than Blockbuster or Madoff. Fox News was always the information source for cranks, conspirators and wankers (they still are). Fox just injected enough legitimate stuff to seem mildly credible. Instead of CNN taking the high road they stooped. Now they are getting slaughtered and they can’t stoop low enough. They are like the $1,000 hooker that is now doing tricks at the discount rate of $10 while Fox is still getting $50 and CNN can’t figure out why.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/9 "2011-09-09T05:13:49Z")

</div>

Even if what the OP says is true, it’s just plain crazy to say that someone who stages a political stunt should be charged with treason.

I haven’t even heard it was “leaked”, though I haven’t paid a lot of attention. I heard some agency or another had alerted the public about it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ExVoxMachina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@ExVoxMachina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExVoxMachina)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/10 "2011-09-09T05:18:03Z")

</div>

> [@black\_rabbit](#):
>
> Really, motherfuckers?
> 
> The news organizations just _happened_ to receive word of a plot involving some trucks possibly maybe in the Kansas City area that might possibly perhaps have something to do with a 10-year anniversary attack? And they got the news a couple of minutes after Obama started his jobs speech? _Before_ the Feds have had a chance to send their bulletin to relevant local law enforcement agencies?
> 
> And you expect us to _buy_ that this was something that just _had_ to preempt any discussion or analysis of the speech, or maybe even the speech itself?
> 
> I smell elephant shit. And Stephanopolous should be fucking ashamed of himself. Credulous fucktards.

Don’t see the word “republican” in there, nope, not seeing it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/11 "2011-09-09T05:34:29Z")

</div>

> [@ExVoxMachina](#):
>
> Don’t see the word “republican” in there, nope, not seeing it.

Psst. “Elephant shit.”

And anyway, I missed the speech (foolishly, I was tiling a countertop, which I couldn’t just stop as my mastic hardened) but I saw plenty of analysis, and nary a mention of Kansas City. I had seen a reference to a 9-11 anniversary plot but nothing more specific till this thread. Which means I still haven’t heard much.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/12 "2011-09-09T14:02:00Z")

</div>

> [@Jenaroph](#):
>
> … I was tiling a countertop, which I couldn’t just stop as my mastic hardened…

Appropos of nothing, but “I was tiling a countertop when my mastic hardened” really should be adopted as a euphemism.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/13 "2011-09-09T14:40:32Z")

</div>

> [@Jenaroph](#):
>
> Psst. “Elephant shit.”
> 
> And anyway, I missed the speech (foolishly, I was tiling a countertop, which I couldn’t just stop as my mastic hardened) …

Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/14 "2011-09-09T16:33:42Z")

</div>

For all of the Literalitarians in the crown, the treason bit was hyperbole.

As for the rest, I’m willing to bet a bright shiny nickel that the bombing story was leaked by somebody involved with the Republican Congressional leadership, and that the timing was anything but coincidental. Given that the feds had yet to even inform local law enforcement of the threat, I can’t see what purpose the leak would serve for anybody else.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/15 "2011-09-09T16:37:46Z")

</div>

> [@Boyo\_Jim](#):
>
> I haven’t even heard it was “leaked”, though I haven’t paid a lot of attention. I heard some agency or another had alerted the public about it.

At least on ABC, the phrasing of the report pointed to a leak. “We have received information,” “unconfirmed reports,” “our sources indicate,” blah blah blah, followed by 15 minutes of speculative gum-flapping from a security analyst who’d heard that it might involve some trucks in Kansas City. Or something.

In other words, a totally pointless explosion of hot air.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/16 "2011-09-09T17:08:28Z")

</div>

The vice president and the secretary of state talked today about some possible threat, but either in New York or Washington.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/17 "2011-09-09T17:38:24Z")

</div>

\>\>I neither defend nor accuse any political faction in this post.\<\<

Could it possibly be that, as CNN is obliged to air the President’s speech (any prez, not just Obama), and knowing that Prez’s speeches are ratings black holes, CNN was willing to run with a very tentative “story” in the hopes of people staying tuned to CNN “for the latest **exclusive!!!** updates”? And, that CNN hoped viewers would stay with the channel during the Prez’s speech, even if the audio was muted and viewers were just reading the “crawl” about the “terror plot”? After all, it doesn’t matter for the purposes of tallying the ratings why someone is watching a station, just that the channel tuner is turned on and set to that station.

I wonder, if a group of TV viewers keeled over dead, would the programs that followed be counted for ratings purposes? Even though no one was actually, you know,watching?

A "Zen"ith koan: If a TV laugh track guffaws in an apartment and no one is around to hear it, was the joke truly funny?

I need coffee. I might be back later. Bye!

ETA: Back earlier than I thought. Was it CNN or ABC? I don’t have cable, I didn’t watch the speech, the score didn’t reflect it, but the game was good, I ate too much over-sweetened beef jerky last night.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/18 "2011-09-09T17:40:08Z")

</div>

[Theis involves several stolen box trucks that have now been recovered.](http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/08/3129432/all-stolen-box-trucks-have-been.html) Two men who seem to have been stealing scrap metal have been arrested.

From the article comes this:

> [@](#):
>
> Police said they initially issued several bulletins alerting other agencies to the thefts and speculated that word of the trucks’ recovery may not have reached everyone who was initially alerted.

This wasn’t a secret, or at least not a well kept one. The OP’s speculation about nefarious Republican motives appears to be ill placed.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/19 "2011-09-09T17:43:23Z")

</div>

Also, the news of the truck thefts appears to have originated with local law enforcement, per the article. The speculation about the FBI not having yet informed local authorities appears to similarly be a mistake.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-whoever-leaked-news-of-the-9-11-anniversary-plot-should-be-charged-with-treason/595678/20 "2011-09-09T18:04:55Z")

</div>

In general, though, I agree that this situation with leaks is completely out of control. And I think it is in the best interests of the Obama White House to get control of the situation.

They should assemble a squad of people with legal or law enforcement experience to investigate the leaking. They might even come up with a humorous name for themselves - say “The Plumbers.”

This is just what President Obama needs to ensure a productive and trouble-free second term.

😃