Doublespeak for "lawbreaker"

Yesterday's Oregonian featured a page A6 story headlined, "Justice deputy resisted parts of spy program." In it, the New York Times writers revealed that the Bush administration sought Justice Department approval for the now-controversial eavesdropping program, but the top deputy to then-Attorney General John Ashcroft -- who was temporarily in charge while Ashcroft was in the hospital -- would not sign off on certain aspects. So, the administration allegedly went to the hospital to get Ashcroft's OK.

The part that kills me -- besides the fact that we have to take the Times' word that this is legitimate -- is the second paragraph (emphasis mine):

James Comey, acting as attorney general in March 2004 while Ashcroft recovered from gallbladder surgery, was unwilling to certify crucial parts of the program, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to publicly discuss classified work.

In other words, they willingly broke the law by revealing classified information. You can call it a witch hunt if you wish. You can claim the administration is deliberately classifying information to keep out of trouble. But guess what? When these "officials" took their jobs, they promised to keep mum about this information, and they ignored that promise. They broke the law. They should be identified, prosecuted and punished. Within the law.