Reporters Committee pleased that judge rescinds overreaching order for Bloomberg sources

The Reporters Committee is pleased that the judge in the Molycorp Inc. bankruptcy case today agreed to rescind his order from last week demanding disclosures of all contacts the parties had with any Bloomberg reporters related to the case. The judge has instructed court personnel to destroy any such disclosures already filed with the court.

After a one-hour hearing, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher S. Sontchi told the parties and Bloomberg to work together to propose a more narrowly tailored order, admitting his earlier order was too broad. Sontchi had acknowledged on Tuesday that he should have allowed Bloomberg’s objections to be heard before the parties complied with the order.

Sontchi still will seek the identities of any individuals who may have given three particular Bloomberg reporters specific information about the bankruptcy negotiations that he felt were subject to a protective order, and any new order will require parties to disclose contacts related only to three specific Bloomberg articles on the case.

The Reporters Committee opposes any attempt to seek a reporter’s sources, particularly when covering matters of significant public interest like the bankruptcy and asset sale of a rare earth mining company that some believe has national security implications.

About the Reporters Committee

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press was founded by leading journalists and media lawyers in 1970, at a time when the nation’s news media faced a wave of government subpoenas asking reporters to name confidential sources. Today it provides legal resources, and support to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists. Funded by corporate, foundation, and individual contributions, the Reporters Committee serves the nation’s leading news organizations; thousands of reporters, editors, and media lawyers; and many more who use our online and mobile resources. For more information, go to www.rcfp.org, or follow us on Twitter @rcfp.

Related Reporters Committee resources:

· Release: Reporters Committee leads coalition objecting to bankruptcy court investigation of Bloomberg sources

· Release: Bankruptcy court continues investigation into Bloomberg sources; two hearings scheduled for today

· Release: Bankruptcy judge changes his mind on Bloomberg order