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Friday, September 22, 2006
Freedom of the Press There is a very real and very important question over how far that protection extends. Now, a very emotionally charged case involving the Balco steroids grand jury is testing those bounds yet again. Two men, in their role as reporters, received sealed information. They have refused to reveal their sources and now face potential jail time. The precedent set here goes way beyond this case. Someone committed a crime to divulge the information. By refusing to say who gave up the information the reporters are protecting a criminal. In this case it might seem the stakes are not overly high. The steroids investigation primarily affects people who make their livelihoods by playing a game. Ultimately, this case will have a much wider impact. Suppose instead the sealed information related to a crime committed by a sitting President. Watergate comes to mind. Would another "Deep Throat" be too nervous to reveal information that needed to be divulged because he could be prosecuted when the reporters were forced to give him up? Would reporters not even pursue the investigation that far knowing the only way to get needed facts would be to potentially be forced to either commit a crime or betray a trust? It is not an easy issue. It would be easy to say they should be prosecuted as accomplices for protecting a criminal act. But the price just might be too high. Blogger News Network is advertiser-supported, and your visits to our advertisers help BNN to meet its expenses. Help keep us afloat! posted by Darth Weasel at 3:08 PM |
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