Posted on 11/09/2018 11:33:19 AM PST by Red Badger
It was never a question of "if."
It was always a matter of "when."
The seizure of a New York Times reporter's phone and email records has sent a chill down the spine of every reporter concerned about protecting his or her sources.
That means every serious reporter — especially those in Washington who report on politics and national security.
It is disturbing because reporters need to be able to do their jobs, unfettered. But absolutely no one should be surprised.
First off, the Trump administration has been all too clear about its scorn for established press rights — with President Donald Trump himself boasting about how he'd love to change libel-law protections and speculating about locking up reporters.
His attorney general, Jeff Sessions, ducked questions early on about whether he would ever agree to subpoena a reporter in a leak investigation.
The signs were all there.
"I've been warning reporters to take care as this administration rattled it would go after sources like the previous one," wrote New York Times reporter Adam Goldman on Twitter shortly after the news broke Thursday that a former staff member of the Senate Intelligence Committee was indicted on charges of making false statements to the FBI during a leak investigation.
But Trump's anti-press bluster aside, there's a clear blueprint to follow — courtesy of Barack Obama, who once claimed that he would be the most transparent president ever but proved to be no friend to press rights.
As part of the new investigation, law enforcement officials seized years' worth of phone and email records of Times reporter Ali Watkins, who had previously dated the Senate staffer. Watkins had reported for BuzzFeed and Politico before being hired by the Times.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Entertainment Liberal Dalton Ross
Why the entire WH press crops is not turning in their credentials right now in solidarity and protest of the way some of their colleagues are being treated is beyond me.
https://twitter.com/DaltonRoss/status/1060968417711284226
They like getting paid more than they liked Jim Acosta.................
It is clear Trump has done nothing like 0boma did. If he had they would be screaming to high heaven.
They were so in love with Obozo that he could have one of them disappear and they would have been totally okay with it.................
A little Barry blast...https://youtu.be/t-YesCOMOuE
Shocked by Trump aggression against reporters and sources?
Shocked? Hell no. Trump’s reaction to the majority of these asshole has been amazingly restrained...until now. KICK ASS, TRUMP!!
I am amazed that the Alpha male Trump has been willing to accept constant ideological abuse from the press. He has complained, presumably hoping for a reasonable return on their part. Acosta is a special case. He has been over the top aggressively hateful toward the president and his staff. In truth this should have been done months ago. Acosta is a villainous lout and cur with ill manners and hate for brains.
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