Posted on 10/02/2014 7:19:50 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
An investigative reporter whose private files were illegally seized during a raid on her home will receive $50,000 as part of a settlement with the Department of Homeland Security.
Audrey Hudson, an award-winning journalist most recently at the Washington Times, told The Daily Signal she was awoken by her barking dog around 4:30 a.m. on Aug. 6, 2013, to discover armed government agents had descended on her property under the cover of darkness. The agents had a search warrant for her husband’s firearms. As they scoured the home, Hudson was read her Miranda rights.
While inside Hudson’s house, a U.S. Coast Guard agent confiscated documents that contained “confidential notes, draft articles, and other newsgathering materials” that Hudson never intended for anyone else to see. The documents included the identities of whistleblowers at the Department of Homeland Security. The Coast Guard is part of Homeland Security.
At the time, Hudson was investigating and reporting on Homeland Security, specifically its Federal Air Marshal Service and the Transportation Security Administration.
It wasn’t until weeks later that Hudson discovered the documents were missing—and even then only because a federal law-enforcement official told her she could pick up the files. Hudson notified the Washington Times, which took the government to court for violating the Privacy Protection Act.
This led to the settlement, which was first revealed by the Washington Times this week.
“The important thing about this settlement is that we did not let the government’s invasion of my privacy stand,” Hudson said. “We defended the rights of journalists to protect their sources from discovery by government security agencies, and that’s a victory for all journalists.”
The settlement required Homeland Security to pay $50,000 to Hudson, return the seized documents, promise that no copies had been made and any notes about them would be destroyed. In addition, it provides $25,000 to the Washington Times for attorney’s fees and requires the Coast Guard Investigative Service to initiate a review of and provide training on the federal Privacy Protection Act.
Hudson’s attorney, Mark Grannis of Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis LLP, hailed the settlement as a victory for press freedom.
“The government has bent over backwards to assure us that the seizure of Ms. Hudson’s notes was just an error of judgment, not part of any organized effort to identify her sources,” Grannis said. “We hope that by bringing this claim we have helped to raise awareness within the government that reporters’ notes are legally protected from seizure in all but the most exceptional cases.”
Whoa... under the color of the law... the law isn’t your friend and nether is the government ,
I think is about time a SWAT team gets anonymous info that a Conservative has an automatic weapon, stages a raid, and sets off 50 lbs of homemade C-4, well salted with #10 hex nuts...
$50,000....big whoop.
The taxpayers have to foot the bill.
I would have been more impressed if all of the aholes involved in this outrageous raid were sent to federal prison for ten years.
Also, remove the Coast Guard from the fascist Department of Homeland Security. Prior to the Sept. 11th attacks, the CG was part of the Department of Transportation. Put them back there. In wartime, such as WW II, the Coast Guard was under the authority of U.S. Navy.
What happened to her husband? Supposedly they were looking for a potato gun and they also charged him with having an empty shotgun shell or something.
Some FReepers could really use that; FReepers are lousy boaters.
I take exception to that comment! I am a crappy first mate according to Captain Bligh!
But nobody went to jail, or lost their job, benefits, and pension.
If their boat sinks, they can walk to shore.
their budget is twice as large as the budget of the US Marine Corps, so $50,000 is probably the operating cost of 1 or 2 minutes for DHS.
I would have said that even five million dollars would be too low.
Should have been in the million$$$. Not for Hudson’s gain, but for Gouvermint’s deterrence !!!
Hecky Durn.
ping
........jeez, I am so comforted that the government “bent over backwards” to assure us that there intentions were innocent...............
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