This "chilling rejection" of a media privilege that has no basis in law -- either under the First Amendment or under any "evolving common law" principles -- is the best thing that has come out of this case. It was the height of arrogance for the New York Times to call for an independent investigation of this case while at the same time claiming that the newspaper itself should be immune from any and all independent investigations into cases that the paper's staff covers.
This "chilling rejection" of a media privilege that has no basis in law -- either under the First Amendment or under any "evolving common law" principles -- is the best thing that has come out of this case. It was the height of arrogance for the New York Times to call for an independent investigation of this case while at the same time claiming that the newspaper itself should be immune from any and all independent investigations into cases that the paper's staff covers.