The DOJ/Associated Press Investigation Was Political Retribution

In response to a question about the Department of Justice/Associated Press "scandal" today the President said “Leaks related to national security can put people at risk,” the president noted. “They can put some of our intelligence officers, who are in various dangerous situations that are easily compromised, at risk.”

But there was no one at risk!  As the Associated Press reported on Tuesday,

We held that story until the government assured us that the national security concerns had passed. Indeed, the White House was preparing to publicly announce that the bomb plot had been foiled.

The White House had said there was no credible threat to the American people in May of 2012. The AP story suggested otherwise, and we felt that was important information and the public deserved to know it.

The fact is the Associated Press sat on the story for five days.  Then, according to the Washington Post report, during a Monday morning meeting, the journalists were asked by agency officials to hold off on publishing the story for just one more day so the Administration could announcement.

The AP held the story for national security but published it when the only reason to hold it was for the Administration to get some glory.

The Associated Press  published the story on Monday, and Tuesday John  Brennan, now the CIA director appeared on Good Morning America the following day to . He said that because of the work of U.S. intelligence, the plot did not pose an active threat to the American public.

So if the plot no longer posed a threat, and the only reason the AP was asked to delay was so the administration could make the announcement first, why did the DOJ subpena  the Associated Press records.  There is only one logical answer, political retribution---the Obama administration was punishing the Associated Press for its blowing the big announcement.