Sen. Dodd Makes Case for Federal Reporter’s Shield Law

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Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn, writes in support of a reporter’s shield law in an op ed article in the Washington Post. Sen. Dodd said the statutory protection is needed so that conscientious citizens will continue to contact and provide information about wrongdoing to reporters they trust “without of fear for their jobs, their reputations, even their lives” as a result of forced disclosure. “The public’s ability to hold those in power accountable …– whether in the government or in the private sector — will be severely compromised” without a shield law, he said. ”In a real sense, when the public’s right to know is threatened, so are all of the other liberties we hold dear.” (12/28/04)