The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to intervene after a judge ordered an $800-a-day fine for a former Fox News reporter if she refuses to reveal her confidential source for stories about a Chinese American scientist who was investigated by the FBI but never charged.
Background of the Case
The high court rebuffed an emergency appeal from Catherine Herridge, a veteran investigative reporter who has been held in civil contempt as part of a lawsuit that scientist Yanping Chen filed against the government over the leak.
Herridge published a series for Fox News in 2017 that examined Chen’s ties to the Chinese military and raised questions about whether the scientist was using a professional school she founded in Virginia to help the Chinese government get information about American servicemembers.
First Amendment Implications
Media advocates say forcing journalists to betray a promise of confidentiality could make sources think twice before providing information to reporters that could expose government wrongdoing. Fox News Media expressed disappointment in the decision, stating that protecting the confidentiality of journalistic sourcing and the integrity of the newsgathering process is fundamental to a free and functioning democracy.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
