At Michael Dunne’s sentencing hearing at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, the judge asked if he was sorry for his crimes. She said that Dunne had flagrantly ignored the Central Intelligence Agency’s legal rules, and lied about it, and worst of all, that he had violated the constitutional rights of others by running an intelligence operation against American journalists. Did he understand the seriousness of this offense? The First Amendment was first for a reason. Did he truly regret what he had done?
Dunne had been coached by his lawyer, Mark Walden, to respond with remorse and contrition. The hearing was “in-camera,” and nobody cared what he said, other than the judge, so it should have been a no-brainer. A good man, a public servant, hardened by the world but still almost boyish with his thatch of red hair, a CIA officer who had made a mistake for which he was sorry. And he had planned to make the apology. He knew this was his best chance to recover what was left.
But Dunne couldn’t do it. A ripple of anger had crossed his face as he listened to the judge’s questions. He answered that he had done what he thought was right under the circumstances, on orders; he mumbled it at first, but then said it in a loud, unambiguous voice so there wasn’t any mistaking his meaning.
