By Nathan Siegel
Hartford Courant
Oct. 04, 2005
Excerpt:
Journalists can take some comfort in knowing that every time this crisis has erupted, the jailing of journalists has been the catalyst for changes in the law that protected a subsequent generation of reporters. […]
Time and again Americans have made clear that confidential newsgathering is an important part of a free press and that journalists who protect sources should not be treated as scofflaws.
That is why every time a movement has started among a new generation of prosecutors and judges to force disclosure of sources, other democratic institutions have responded in kind.
If the Supreme Court will not intervene, as it did not in this case, Congress should recognize that generations have already spoken on this issue and pass a federal shield law.