Comments on: Judge: USAToday reporter in contempt, must personally pay fines

By: Michelle Malkin » The anthrax case, the media, and the innocent

Michelle Malkin » The anthrax case, the media, and the innocent — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:34:40 +0000

[...] leaking information to the press. One of the reporters involved, USA Today’s Toni Locy, was held in contempt and ordered to personally pay fines. She’s scheduled to appear before the judge on April [...]

By: Doxycicline.

Doxycicline. — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:12:58 +0000

Doxycicline….

Doxycicline….

By: JeffH

JeffH — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:05:38 +0000

While I do enjoy seeing the MSM hoisted on their own petard, I have no love for Steven Hatfill and am unconvinced of his innocence in the anthrax case. If you listen to the FBI agents on the case, they are absolutely convinced he is guilty. If your friend or relative was exposed and killed by the anthrax how would you feel if the likely suspect was still at work in the U.S. government lab working with those bio-weapons?

By: CCGuy

CCGuy — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 03:03:11 +0000

This is probably driving the MSM crazy. How dare somebody hold them accountable for what they do and say.

By: AlohaGuy

AlohaGuy — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 01:10:33 +0000

Considering how much Hatfill’s legal bills must be, Locy is getting an idea of what he’s going through. It’s fair.

By: tanksoldier

tanksoldier — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:11:28 +0000

Most Washington stories with law enforcement or intelligence sourcing are left-versus-right stories. Under a Walton Rule, left sources will keep talking because they know nothing will happen, or next to nothing. Conservative sources will shut down because they know the new rule will hunt them down like radar whenever possible.

Leaks from EITHER side should stop. If only the ones from the right are stopped that’s still 50% of the leaks stopped that shouldn’t have been allowed in the first place. Some things are more important than political tit-for-tat.

By: d1carter

d1carter — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:07:54 +0000

This is going to fire up the federal shield law proponents. I hope it fires up those that oppose it as well.

By: Reporter required to pay up or stop shielding leaker » Pursuing Holiness

Reporter required to pay up or stop shielding leaker » Pursuing Holiness — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:34:40 +0000

[...] An agent ran over his foot – resulting in Hatfill receiving a ticket. Michelle Malkin commented yesterday, and has more background here and [...]

By: brooklyn red

brooklyn red — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:29:38 +0000

This is a good first step… lets see what happens to the “source”.

My guess is that Hatfill is getting a lot of calls from lawyers at this very moment…

By: Reporters Deserve No Special Treatment « Tai-Chi Policy

Reporters Deserve No Special Treatment « Tai-Chi Policy — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:09:15 +0000

[...] Reporters Deserve No Special Treatment March 8, 2008 Posted by taoist in The Media. trackback And here’s one judge who clearly appreciates that they can’t just say anything they want and expect to not be held accountable. [...]

By: terrig

terrig — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:51:16 +0000

Would be nice if we also knew who leaked all that other stuff to the NYSlimes. Judge Walton in the case has done the right thing.

By: serfer62

serfer62 — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:46:58 +0000

So the pendulum swings the other way…it was bound to happen. Big Media has used “freedom of the press” as a hammer for their preferances too long.

Actually with the blogsphere there is no reason for Big Media any more, thats where I get my news.

By: DBNinKY

DBNinKY — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:55:08 +0000

“I fully appreciate the importance of a free press. On the other hand, the media has to be responsible.”

It is about time reporters, and the media in general, started being held to the same standards of accountability they advocate for others in our society like conservative politicians, business leaders/entrepreneurs, the U.S. military, and the average citizen.

At what point along the line did the press forget the old adage, “The pen is mightier than the sword?” Worse yet, when did they lose touch with its meaning?

Innocent peoples’ lives have been, are, and forever will be ruined if the press/media doesn’t get over itself, and its arrogance at being given “special” mention in the Constitution, and starts to show some responsibility.

By: Dave Lucas' Notes

Dave Lucas' Notes — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:19:42 +0000

“The Media has to be responsible…”…

And The Revolution will not be televised — it will be streamed….

By: jimC

jimC — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:06:45 +0000

Moe,

I agree that this ruling could be a double edged sword. But, I disagree that the reporter has no blame in this. The reporter wrote the story. The reporter knows who the source is, and spoke with that source, and the reporter was ordered to give up her source. She — so far — has refused. She’s now finding out that it’s not a good idea to get into a P-ing contest with a federal judge… no matter who she is, and how sacred she feels her source’s anonymity is.

Now, if we could just get the justice department to prosecute intellegence leaks. Why aren’t they going after the NY slimes and their sources for their stories about NSA programs?

Jim C