Freedom of the Press: DOJ wins order to force NYT Reporter to testify against source

Will be interesting to see this one go to the Supreme Court because its bigger then just a simple "assault" on the press. If reporters cannot make news of leaked classified information without reveling their source that avenue of leaks will quickly dry up. To be honest I am surprised it took this long for a case to get as far as this one has.

On the flip side:

"Risen is the only eyewitness to the crime," Judge Traxler wrote. "He is inextricably involved in it. Without him, the alleged crime would not have occurred, since he was the recipient of illegally disclosed, classified information."

I believe this is the real reason it was even appealed in the first place, and it looks like the judges agreed with them. Not taking sides, I think reporters being able to publish classified information they get from a "source" without reprieve is not always a good thing in some cases (obviously concerning undercover CIA agents, war plans etc). In this case I believe its a CIA operative being charged under the espionage act, so its not a simple oh its some guy reporting about PRISIM toss em in the brink.

tad10_sl said:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/20/us...anted=all&_r=0

And Obama and Holder's assault on the press continues. I wonder what the poor NYT is thinking now - the man they support is going after them for straying just a wee bit out of line. They leaked something other than what Obama wanted leaked.

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Why aren't you blaming the reasoning skills of the judges?

lol poor new york times? thats a good one. anyway. the reporter may have to show up but he can easily refrain from giving up his source. a good reporter will consider it a badge of honor to do jail time on a contempt of court charge protecting their source

Ooooh, it's a sticky widget.

Mass Media has to make this sort of situation uglier than it used to be. You know this isn't the first time this has ever happened, but it had to have been easier to deal with when news came through newspapers and a 12-48 hour delay. You know, take a dude into a smoke filled room and say, "We need to know who told you that, and we'll claim to have gotten that information from somewhere else, AND we'll NOT beat you to death! Win/win/win!".

sticky sticky widget.

Fuck the press, look at the riots they've caused.

TBH if it's the choice I've got to make I'd rather live with Zimmerman trials every month than with that shit they've got going on in Russia.

If citizens can't SYG, why should journalists?

Furry_sl said:

I have a fundamental and extremely strong disbelief in a system that offers any certain people special privilege under the law.

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These privileges exist to ensure some people can perform their function in society without being easily hindered by malevolent agents. A free press is a critical piece in the check and balance system that is a democracy, so there are legal privileges to ensure its existence.

Furry_sl said:

Ive never understood why press should get immunity from these things. Before you're an idiot and spout "FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IS IN DUR CONSTETITIOUN", know that what was defined as "Press" in constitutional times is very different from the modern meaning, and additionally, I'm an extremely firm believer that laws should apply equally to everyone. I have a fundamental and extremely strong disbelief in a system that offers any certain people special privilege under the law.

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Do you bring the scrutiny to the 2nd ammendment as well?