American Notes Government

In spite of the Reagan Administration's concern about talkative federal employees, the frequency of leaks from Government officials to the press has not changed much since the early 1960s. That is the conclusion of a survey by Harvard University Lecturer Martin Linsky, who found that a fairly consistent 42% of White House officials and members of Congress say they have given confidential information to reporters over the years.

Some 78% said their reason for "leaking" was to counter false or misleading information. Linsky, who interviewed almost 500 White House officials and members of Congress from the Johnson through the Reagan Administrations, concludes, "Leaks are the coin of the realm, the way of life in Washington."