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My literal responsibility as director of the CIA with regard to covert action was to inform the Congress - not to seek their approval; to inform.

There are some classified documents there that we received from the CIA. Our arrangement with the CIA was that we could by mutual agreement declassify these documents, but we had no authority to unilaterally declassify them.

The Patriot Act allows and provides a basis for an exchange of information.

Usually you kind of give the President a pass on leaking confidential stuff.

Keep under strict surveillance and control those secret establishments which, within your government structures, seem to regard themselves as above the law.

The U.S. government places considerable trust in those given access to classified information, and we are committed to prosecuting those who abuse that trust.

We don't have an Official Secrets Act in the United States, as other countries do. Under the First Amendment, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom of association are more important than protecting secrets.

There is no part of the executive branch that more exists on the outer edge of executive prerogative than the American intelligence community - the intelligence community, CIA, covert action. My literal responsibility as director of CIA with regard to covert action was to inform the Congress - not to seek their approval, to inform.

It is up to the government to keep the government's secrets.

There are a lot of messages that need to be sent to the criminal who is out there dealing in this on the streets of the United States. We need to send the message of swiftness and certain punishment.