DOJ will withdraw subpoenas against New York Times journalists over Air Force One reporting
The move followed a judge’s criticism of the government’s legal work and came after the court said journalist subpoenas should be a last resort.
- On Thursday, the Justice Department withdrew subpoenas seeking to force three New York Times reporters to identify sources for articles about President Donald Trump's Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet.
- The subpoenas originated from investigation into reporting on a new $400 million Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet that reportedly lacked advanced security features, including antimissile capabilities, found on the older Air Force One.
- Subramanian criticized the government's 'sloppy legal work,' stating that under First Amendment protections, subpoenas served on journalists must be issued as a 'last resort' rather than a first investigative step.
- While the Justice Department argued 'reporters are not the targets,' The Times accused the government of acting in 'bad faith' by demanding phone records of one reporter's mother and two journalists' spouses.
- This retreat marks the latest instance of the Justice Department pulling back on aggressive source-protection efforts; the administration recently withdrew similar subpoenas targeting journalists for The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal.
254 Articles
254 Articles
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DOJ Drops Subpoenas of New York Times Journalists and Their Family Members
Lawyers for the Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped subpoenas of several New York Times journalists — and some targeting their family members — after a federal judge berated the Trump administration for its actions. Earlier this month, the Times reported on security flaws of President Donald Trump’s new Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet. When Trump didn’t use the jet on his travels home from a… Source
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