The Department of Justice has withdrawn its subpoenas targeting New York Times reporters, according to a recent announcement. The decision was made after a hearing in the Southern District of New York, where Judge Arun Subramanian questioned federal prosecutors about the subpoenas.
Background
The subpoenas were related to a story about a Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet and President Donald Trump’s claims about the plane. The reporters had received the subpoenas just two days after publishing the article, which contradicted Trump’s statements about the plane’s security.
The Justice Department had opened a leak investigation and taken aggressive steps to identify the officials who spoke with the Times. However, the withdrawal of the subpoenas is seen as a significant development in the case, with many advocating for the protection of journalists and their sources.
Reporters Committee president Bruce D. Brown stated that targeting reporters to appease the White House has reached a dead end in the federal courts. He added that Judge Subramanian saw the DOJ’s effort as a brazen and careless government overreach.
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression senior attorney Adam Steinbaugh also welcomed the withdrawal of the subpoenas, but noted that it does not erase the chilling effect of issuing them in the first place.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
