Posted on 03/01/2024 5:29:23 AM PST by Red Badger
UPDATED: A federal judge has found Catherine Herridge in civil contempt of his order that she reveal the source of stories she wrote when she worked for Fox News.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper set a fine of $800 per day, but he stayed the ruling to give her time to appeal.
The judge had ordered Herridge to reveal her sources for 2017 stories that reported on a federal investigation of Yanping Chen, a naturalized U.S. citizen who founded the University of Management and Technology in Virginia. The stories had to do with Chen’s affiliations with the Chinese military. The FBI investigation examined statements she made on immigration forms about her work in China in the 1980s.
Chen was not charged, but sued the federal government, claiming that someone leaked information about her to Herridge and Fox in violation of the Privacy Act.
Herridge since went to work for CBS News, but was laid off earlier this month.
“The Court does not reach this result lightly,” Cooper wrote in his order. “It recognizes the paramount importance of a free press in our society and the critical role that confidential sources play in the work of investigative journalists like Herridge. Yet the Court also has its own role to play in upholding the law and safeguarding judicial authority. Applying binding precedent in this Circuit, the Court resolved that Chen’s need for the requested information to vindicate her rights under the Privacy Act overcame Herridge’s qualified First Amendment reporter’s privilege in this case.”
Read the judge’s contempt order against Catherine Herridge.
\https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.202751/gov.uscourts.dcd.202751.193.0_3.pdf
Herridge had been subpoenaed to give a deposition in the case last year, but she refused to reveal her sources when she sat for questioning in September.
Fox News and Herridge had tried to quash the subpoena, asserting a qualified First Amendment reporter’s privilege, or urging the court to adopt a federal common law newsgathering privilege. But the judge ultimately issued an order that “Chen may depose Herridge regarding the identity and intent of the source or sources of the documents and images allegedly provided to her in violation of the Privacy Act, and any non-privileged other matters relevant to her Privacy Act claim.”
In his opinion, the judge seemed to dismiss the idea that fewer sources would come forward if courts are compelling more reporters to disclose their sources. “At a minimum, any marginal chilling effect has certainly not frozen the information pipeline. Instances of journalism built on confidential sources remain legion,” the judge wrote.
Cooper also noted the lack of a federal shield law, writing that Congress could resolve the issue with a “few strokes of a pen, but it has not done so.”
“Absent congressional intervention or a shift in Circuit precedent, the Court’s duty is to apply and enforce the law on the books,” the judge wrote.
Patrick Philbin, Herridge’s attorney, said in a statement, “We disagree with the district court’s decision, and to protect Ms. Herridge’s First Amendment rights, we intend to appeal.”
A Fox News spokesperson said in a statement, “Holding a journalist in contempt for protecting a confidential source has a deeply chilling effect on journalism. Fox News Media remains committed to protecting the rights of a free press and freedom of speech and believes this decision should be appealed.”
Deep State likely already knows damn good and well who her sources are.
What is this really about?
Making an example out of Herridge pour encourages les autres...
Giving Deep State a clean provenance for the info so it can use that to go after others?
Appointed by B.O. Figures.
When she worked for Fox News? Somethings up, she was just working for CBS when she got fired and they took possession of her work including sources. What the Feds were looking for must not have been there.
If I was in that business, my files would contain mountains of paper and terabytes of digital data with Hunter Biden’s name all over it. I’d list him as the source of every controversial story that attracted the FBI’s interest.
She is a threat to “our democracy” and in that version of democracy, they are in charge, can do what they want and you obey.
Anything that exposes that is a threat.
She must be fined and jailed. She is an insurrectionist.
I knew when she went to cbs it was a mistake.
Freedom is so bothersome to these fascists.
When the story first broke, I suspected the seizure of her files by CBS was related to the China case, which was investigated by Herridge when she was at Fox News.
So now they're back to putting the squeeze on Herridge, not having found what they were looking for. Smart girl, that one.
The bigger question in my mind is who put the pressure on CBS (I'm guessing it is elements in the US government). And it looks like there are more figures/institutions compromised by China than we suspect. Scary thought.
Side note: I notice a parallel with the raid on Mar a Lago re: "the binder".
She had best stay away from high buildings and salad bars....................
“I knew when she went to cbs it was a mistake.”
Exactly. I thought, “WTF is she thinking?” when I heard the news. She’s not a stupid person; she knew about CBS when she went there.
Seem to recall that both Herridge and Rita Cosby used to boast about their ‘sources’ during their days at FOX.
“The FBI investigation examined statements she made on immigration forms about her work in China in the 1980s.
Chen was not charged, but sued the federal government, claiming that someone leaked information about her to Herridge and Fox in violation of the Privacy Act.
Aren’t these the same guys who “investigated” the Clintons, Comey, The Big Guy, Hunter and others including election officials, but decided not to prosecute?
JMHO, but a decisions not to prosecute by this DOJ are exonerations, but rather ratifications of which side you’re on . . .
It’s been open season reporters that actually try and tell the truth.
James Rosen was targeted by obama.
Tucker Carlson got cut loose recently.
And now this.
Tell me, what commonality do you see in those three events?
“JMHO, but a decisions not to prosecute by this DOJ are exonerations, but rather ratifications of which side you’re on . . .”
Sorry for the typos, should read:
“JMHO, but decisions not to prosecute by this DOJ AREN’T exonerations, but rather ratifications of which side you’re on . . .”
That last part about judicial tyrrany just gave the whole game away.
Don’t forget Lou Dobbs.
“what commonality do you see in those three events?”
Truth will not be tolerated.
Hubby had FBN on this morning. Told him I couldn’t believe Maria B. still has her show on Fox.
They(Feds) are looking for something specific. I smell a Biden
So much for Freedom of the Press.
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