High Court Rules Against New York Times
Published Tue, Nov 28 2006 11:15 AM
Technorati Tags: News and Politics, War on Terror, Courts
Last week the New York Times asked Ruth Bader Ginsberg to block the government from reviewing the phone records of two of its reporters, apparently hoping the liberal justice would see things their way. Yesterday the Supreme court refused to do so.
Naturally the Associated Press calls that a growing problem. After all, if a reporter can't write a story damaging the government's anti-terror activity based on confidential sources then their anti-American agenda can't be furthered.
(CBS/AP) The Supreme Court ruled against The New York Times on Monday, refusing to block the government from reviewing telephone records of two Times reporters in a leak investigation concerning a terrorism-funding probe.
The one-sentence order came in a First Amendment battle that involves stories written in 2001 by Times reporters Judith Miller and Philip Shenon. The stories revealed the government's plans to freeze the assets of two Islamic charities, the Holy Land Foundation and the Global Relief Foundation.
This isn't the first time the New York Times has tried to hide its sources behind the first amendment. One of these days they'll get the message that Freedom of the Press does not mean freedom to hamper a legitimate investigation into national security violations or criminal activity.
Monday's rejection "is just further indication that we're getting absolutely nowhere with the court when it comes to protecting confidential sources," said Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
...
Dalglish said protection of phone record confidentiality is among the issues that should be addressed in federal shield law legislation she and other media advocates are urging Congress to consider.
If that legislation ever makes it to the presidents desk he should bring out the veto pen. The New York Times has decided that leaking sensitive national security information is its job. It's really just treason, and they shouldn't be allowed to hide behind the first amendment when they violate our national security.
Trackback URI for this post: http://perrinelson.com/track.aspx?postid=203
Permalink URI for this post: http://perrinelson.com/2006/11/28/203.aspx
Subscribe to this entry's
comment feed. (Atom)
Comments to this entry are closed.