Let's start at the beginning, just as a refresher. About one year ago this time, we learned that within the federal government, someone leaked sensitive national security details involving a suicide bomber who is also a CIA agent, to the Associated Press.
It was an outrage that both political sides decried and they called for an investigation. I remember Mitch McConnell and a host of other Republicans demanding that President Obama use the full force of the government to investigate and ferret out the leaker.
Over this past week, we learn that the official at the State Department who was tasked with heading the investigation subpoenaed the incoming and outgoing phone numbers of roughly 100 journalists of the AP.
Now both political parties are decrying what they see as a total attack on the first amendment rights of the press.
Imagine you're President. National security and freedom are your two top priorities, but the existing laws make it perfectly legal for the head of an investigation to go after sensitive information belonging to a free and independent press.
What do you do? How do you strike the right balance?
A different President and a different administration brought us this problem, and now the subsequent President and his administration are using the tools that were given them by the previous one.
I dunno about you, but we're going to go through this every friggin' administration because the power to get information during an investigation is all on the side of the federal government. Are you okay with them having this power? Should it be lessened? What would you do?
It was an outrage that both political sides decried and they called for an investigation. I remember Mitch McConnell and a host of other Republicans demanding that President Obama use the full force of the government to investigate and ferret out the leaker.
Over this past week, we learn that the official at the State Department who was tasked with heading the investigation subpoenaed the incoming and outgoing phone numbers of roughly 100 journalists of the AP.
Now both political parties are decrying what they see as a total attack on the first amendment rights of the press.
Imagine you're President. National security and freedom are your two top priorities, but the existing laws make it perfectly legal for the head of an investigation to go after sensitive information belonging to a free and independent press.
What do you do? How do you strike the right balance?
A different President and a different administration brought us this problem, and now the subsequent President and his administration are using the tools that were given them by the previous one.
I dunno about you, but we're going to go through this every friggin' administration because the power to get information during an investigation is all on the side of the federal government. Are you okay with them having this power? Should it be lessened? What would you do?
