April 24, 2006
I love stories that bring the puffed-up media elite down to size. This is one such story.
Lawyers for NBC news, the New York Times and time magazine have filed motions in federal court to quash subpoenas for interview notes, drafts of articles and other records sought by Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff in the CIA leak case.
The Washington Post received a subpoena for notes by its star reporter Bob Woodward and turned them over. That will make it more difficult for other media to resist.
The big media are happy to print leaks and use anonymous sources that sometimes lead to an indictment of someone they don’t like. But when they are called to present information that could exonerate a person, they claim first amendment protection. Sorry, if it means costing the accused his liberty and/or a lot of money, the press ought to hand over information germane to the case.
Libby told the grand jury he believed the identity of the CIA agent was known throughout the press corps before he mentioned her name. If the press has information that would support his case, the press should turn it over.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
