Judge Rules in Favor of New York Times
The New York Times has a 1st Amendment right to protect the confidentiality of its sources by denying the government phone records in certain instances, U.S. District Judge Robert W. Sweet ruled in New York.
Saying that secrecy in government appeared to be on the rise, Sweet refused to toss out a 1st Amendment lawsuit the newspaper filed last year to stop the Department of Justice from getting records of phone calls between two veteran journalists and sources.
“The free press has long performed an essential role in ensuring against abuses of governmental power,” the judge said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
