I wouldnt be so quick to reflexively come down against law enforcement in cases like this. Its a delicate question with conflicting answers. When a journalist receives information that was disseminated illegally he isnt just a journalist anymore ... hes also a witness to a crime and potentially complicit in the crime, too.
Then the police, not having asked for the report, come crashing into his home with a warrant for the report, handcuff him for 6 hours of questioning (presumably without his lawyer present), and probably didn't cleanup the mess they left.
The police have a tough job and are disliked by leftists and many patriots. It's not easy trying to serve and protec nowadays. I get it. But these tactics over a Public Defender who died like John Entwistle do not strike me something to which the Founders would give a cheery two-thumbs up.
Didnt the Pentagon Papers case pretty much give reporters the green light to publish anything they choose to no matter how much it hurts the country?
Personally couldn't disagree more.
“information that was disseminated illegally”
In a nation with freedom of speech, freedom of press, how can such a thing exist?
I suggest that violation of copyright and child porn are the only cases where iformation can be disseminated illegally.
What other case exists that can violate the Constitution?