I’m shocked. We finally managed to get enough sensible members into the House of Representatives that they passed a bill supporting a federal shield law for reporters — if it passes the Senate, it looks like it has enough votes to override a Presidential veto!
This is something that the country has needed for a long time. Branzburg v. Hayes gave fractured and uncertain guidance to lower courts when trying to determine whether journalists need to reveal confidential sources and information gathered in the furtherance of their fourth estate function. While prosecutors and litigants have craved journalistic work product, reporters have steadfastly maintained that the First Amendment demands their right to invoke privilege — especially if the information is available from other sources.
See AP Story here.
