What's going on with Republican-Conservative Congressman Peter King ?

Peter King  —  who seems to be upset that "Too many Republicans and conservatives have become Michael Moore"  —  wants to prosecute a journalist on trumped-up claims 

Congressman Peter King (R-C, Nassau, N.Y.) made waves yesterday during  a Fox News interview in which he called for “legal action” to be taken against Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald. According to the Washington Post, "The congressman’s comments were delivered in his usual stentorian style, with absolute certainty and conviction, even though they appear to lack any factual basis"  (See "Why Peter King’s comments on Greenwald threaten the republic" by Erik Wemple, 6/13/13, Washington Post [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2013/06/13/why-peter-kings-comments-on-greenwald-threaten-the-republic/]).

Has this Republican and Conservative Party favorite from Nassau County gone off the rails completely ? He has already stepped on the Republican talking points on the Fox News - James Rosen -DOJ case;  even worse he has slandered Glenn Greenwald with a blatant lie that Greenwald has threatened  to release the names of CIA Agents.... And perhaps worst of all, he doesn't seem to care as much about the Constitutiton nor know what it means as much as a majority of Americans.

On Wednesday’s broadcast of Fox News Channel’s “America Live,” New York Republican Congressman Peter King said that because of the leaks about the National Security Administration first put forth by the Guardian’s Glenn Greenwald, it may be time to consider prosecuting the journalist. Congressman King thinks that, not only should Edward Snowden be prosecuted as the source of the leaks, but Greenwald as well for threatening to name names of CIA agents ( See "Rep. Peter King: Punish Glenn Greenwald" by  Jeff Poor, 6/12/13, Daily Caller [http://dailycaller.com/2013/06/12/rep-peter-king-punish-glenn-greenwald/#ixzz2W8CZP800]).

Here it is in King's own words: “I’m talking about [ Journalist Glenn] Greenwald.... Greenwald, not only did he disclose this information, he has said that he has names of CIA agents and assets around the world and is threatening to disclose that. The last time that was done in this country, we saw the CIA station chief murdered in Greece. No right is absolute and even the press has certain restrictions. I think it should be very targeted, very selective and a rare exception. In this case, when you have someone to disclose secrets like this and threatens to release more, then that to me — yes, there has to be legal action should be taken against him. This is a very unusual case with life and death implications for Americans....  I agree when it comes to reporters it’s used very sparingly and should be....  But this is a very unusual case. I think the whole case, by the way — it really bothers me seeing so many Republicans and conservatives talking about this  being spying and snooping  [what the NSA did with PRISM and other  programs pursuant to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and Section 215 of the Patriot Act]. Too many Republicans and conservatives have become Michael Moore. And I think it’s dangerous to our country. General Alexander is an American patriot. This program is protecting Americans.”

According to the column in WP, "Peter King would make a poor journalist. May he never, ever complain about being quoted out of context [which he has done freely wrt  Edward Snowden and Glenn Greenwald]. ***  [Peter King's] words yesterday don’t speak to his acumen as a public servant, either. As argued previously in [The Washington Post], the recent explosion of leak news has highlighted the centrality of governmental self-restraint in preserving freedoms. Laws and guidelines can do only so much...."

The recent Obama Administration scandals clearly demonstrate that this Chief  Executive and his entire Executive Branch of the U.S. Government is thoroughly lacking in self-restraint. Equally distressing is the seeming inability of either chamber of congress to perform even a modicum of the oversight necessary to impose even minimal restraint on the Executive. Now, in the face of the current NSA disclosures, things appear to be even worse than previously assumed, when somebody like Peter King so quickly jumps to a very questionable defense of some very problematic activity by an Obama-driven NSA.

I have to agree with the Post writer's concluding remark, " Amid patent examples of government overreach, [Republican-Conservative Congressman Peter King] is cheerleading for more overreach."