Scoop: House Dem drafts bill to criminalize classified Signal chats

• Several top Trump administration officials have denied that classified information was shared in the discussion.
• Goldberg has pushed back on that, saying the chat contained details about the timing, locations and targets of the attacks on the Houthi rebels, as well as the identity of an undercover CIA agent.

Driving the news: Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) told Axios in a phone interview that his bill will ensure that the Espionage Act's prohibition against disclosing classified information extends to transmitting it over unsecured channels.

• "I'm introducing legislation that would make it a crime for government officials to put sensitive information like war plans on an insecure messaging app," he said.
• Torres said the bill would extend to "all channels of communication that are deemed insecure," adding that it is "well-documented that Signal is an insecure means of transferring information."
• In addition to prison time, the bill would impose up to a $250,000 fine. Torres said it is still being drafted.

Between the lines: Torres' bill comes as some lawmakers are rethinking their own use of Signal for sensitive or private discussions with colleagues.

• Some House members are paring back their use of the encrypted messaging app or becoming more cautious with their communication habits.
• Signal said in a post on X that there is "not a flaw in our encryption or any of Signal's underlying technology," and the phishing attacks that can occur on the app are "a constant threat for popular apps and websites."