AP president calls on Obama to 'rein in' DOJ probe into wire service's records
Associated Press President Gary Pruitt says the Justice Department sent a strong – and negative -- message to future sources that the government would go after them if they spoke to the press. It’s a move Pruitt called not only unconstitutional, but damaging to the ideal of a free press in the country in his first television interviews on the scandal Sunday.
In a separate interview with the AP, Pruitt said, "It's too early to know if we'll take legal action but I can tell you we are positively displeased and we do feel that our constitutional rights have been violated."
He said President Obama "should rein in that out-of-control investigation."
"They've been secretive, they've been overbroad and abusive -- so much so that taken together, they are unconstitutional because they violate our First Amendment rights," he added.
In a statement from Jay Carney... "That’s outrageous and there’s no place for it. The DOJ has to be held fully accountable, because the DOJ as an independent agency from the administration requires absolute integrity."
For me personally, spying on the AP is the biggest crime of the three scnadals. And now they say more reporters from other agencies are coming forward.
It used to be the DOJ was to guard against police over reach, but now they are the ones overreaching.
And now it comes out that it wasn't only AP phones, but also e-mails of certain reporters.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
And even the NY Times editorial board is incensed by the snooping including the reading of the Fox News guy's emails...
Another Chilling Leak Investigation
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Published: May 21, 2013
With the decision to label a Fox News television reporter a possible “co-conspirator” in a criminal investigation of a news leak, the Obama administration has moved beyond protecting government secrets to threatening fundamental freedoms of the press to gather news.
The latest reported episode involves James Rosen, the chief Washington correspondent for Fox News. In 2009, Mr. Rosen reported on FoxNews.com that North Korea planned to launch a missile in response to the condemnation of its nuclear tests by the United Nations Security Council. The Justice Department investigated the source of the article and later indicted Stephen Jin-Woo Kim, a State Department security adviser, on charges of leaking classified information. Mr. Kim pleaded not guilty.
Normally, the inquiry would have ended with Mr. Kim — leak investigations usually focus on the source, not the reporter. But, in this case, federal prosecutors also asked a federal judge for permission to examine Mr. Rosen’s personal e-mails, arguing that “there is probable cause to believe” Mr. Rosen is “an aider and abettor and/or co-conspirator” in the leak.
pineinthegrass wrote: And even the NY Times editorial board is incensed by the snooping including the reading of the Fox News guy's emails...
Another Chilling Leak Investigation
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Published: May 21, 2013
With the decision to label a Fox News television reporter a possible “co-conspirator” in a criminal investigation of a news leak, the Obama administration has moved beyond protecting government secrets to threatening fundamental freedoms of the press to gather news.
The latest reported episode involves James Rosen, the chief Washington correspondent for Fox News. In 2009, Mr. Rosen reported on FoxNews.com that North Korea planned to launch a missile in response to the condemnation of its nuclear tests by the United Nations Security Council. The Justice Department investigated the source of the article and later indicted Stephen Jin-Woo Kim, a State Department security adviser, on charges of leaking classified information. Mr. Kim pleaded not guilty.
Normally, the inquiry would have ended with Mr. Kim — leak investigations usually focus on the source, not the reporter. But, in this case, federal prosecutors also asked a federal judge for permission to examine Mr. Rosen’s personal e-mails, arguing that “there is probable cause to believe” Mr. Rosen is “an aider and abettor and/or co-conspirator” in the leak.
Obama administration officials often talk about the balance between protecting secrets and protecting the constitutional rights of a free press. Accusing a reporter of being a “co-conspirator,” on top of other zealous and secretive investigations, shows a heavy tilt toward secrecy and insufficient concern about a free press.
The left is angry because they are now being judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.
FredHayek wrote: For me personally, spying on the AP is the biggest crime of the three scnadals. And now they say more reporters from other agencies are coming forward.
It used to be the DOJ was to guard against police over reach, but now they are the ones overreaching.
And now it comes out that it wasn't only AP phones, but also e-mails of certain reporters.
What crime was committed? What laws were broken?
"Remember to always be yourself. Unless you can be batman. Then always be batman." Unknown
