Everything online journalists need to protect their legal rights. This free resource culls from all Reporters Committee resources and includes exclusive content on digital media law issues.
Recent leaks of classified information prompted concerned members of the Congressional House Judiciary Committee to hold a hearing today to address consequences for those involved in releasing and publishing national secrets.
The U.S. Department of Justice issued a subpoena yesterday for the testimony of a New York Times reporter in the trial of Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA operations officer accused of leaking classified information, highlighting a trend of government attempts to use journalists’ testimony in cases against government employees who reveal government information in exchange for anonymity.
The Senate Judiciary Committee today voted to present the federal media shield bill to the full Senate, a new milestone this year for legislation that has been tabled, debated and amended for months in the committee.
Senate Judiciary Committee members agreed today to decide on a timeframe for considering any final amendments to the proposed federal media shield law, possibly setting time limits on discussion of the amendments.
The American Bar Association (ABA) last week publicly endorsed the current version of the federal media shield law in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
The ABA urged the committee to move forward with its consideration of the bill, citing compromise between media advocates and the Department of Justice.
The Senate Judiciary Committee today voted down two proposed amendments to federal shield legislation and indicated that a committee or Senate vote may occur in the near future -- even if Republican opposition prompts sponsors to bypass the committee entirely.
The Obama administration today released a letter that supports revised legislation pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee that broadly defines the definition of a journalist in a proposed federal shield law.
The Obama administration proposed substantial changes to the pending federal shield bill that would weaken its protections against compelling journalists to testify in the interest of national security, TheNew York Timesreported.
Media advocates were anticipating a long-awaited vote on the Senate version of the federal shield law during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this morning, but progress faltered as Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and other committee Republicans effectively “stonewalled” progress on the bill, committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said in a press release.
The Senate Judiciary Committee presented modifications to the bill that would create a federal shield law this morning in an ongoing effort to reach a compromise between the supporters and opponents of the proposed legislation.
