So much for journalists and their 1st Amendment rights -- Rep. Peter King: Punish journalists who report classified information:

Representative Peter King (R-NY) on Tuesday night said that journalists who revealed secret government programs should face criminal charges.

Discussing the recent news about the National Security Agency, CNN’s Anderson Cooper asked the Republican if he believed journalists should be punished for reporting on leaked information.

“Actually, if they willing knew that this was classified information, I think action should be taken, especially on something of this magnitude,” King responded. “I know that the whole issue of leaks has been gone into over the last month. I think something on this magnitude, there is an obligation, both moral but also legal, I believe, against a reporter disclosing something which would so severely compromise national security.”

“As a practical matter, I guess there have been in the past several years, a number of reporters who have been prosecuted under it,” he added. “So the answer is yes to your question.”