Former CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson made waves a few years ago when she alleged that her laptop was hacked in October 2012 during her reporting on the Benghazi story, a charge later confirmed by CBS.

 

 

 

 

Attkisson, who left CBS in 2014, later wrote a book about it. But she’s not done. Attkisson apparently is seeking withheld communications in regards to the government probe of the alleged computer intrusion.

She was told by Department of Justice officials her request was denied because there was no evident “urgency to inform the public” about the alleged government activity. Judging from Attkisson’s Twitter feed last night, she’s not happy with that answer. 

 

 

I’ll be honest: there was always something a little bit cloak-and-dagger about Attkisson’s allegations. They sounded far-fetched and too hard to believe. Some have suggested that the evidence Attkisson offered to support the hacking charge appears weak. Others suggest the media and DOJ are turning a blind eye to a scandal.

All that said, why is the government withholding this evidence? The idea that this information is not in the public interest is absurd. A respected reporter for one of the biggest media companies in the world claimed she was hacked, presumably by the feds.

It’s very much in the public interest to know if these allegations have merit or not. Either way, the public wins. If the government is withholding evidence that can shed light on this question, that’s a problem.