Justice Department withdraws subpoenas for 4 reporters
by Lisa Hornung · UPIJune 23 (UPI) -- The Department of Justice subpoenaed four journalists for a grand jury hearing, though it later withdrew them after The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal challenged them.
One subpoena was for Washington Post reporter Ellen Nakashima and was related to sensitive reporting on a national security matter, The Post said.
The department also issued subpoenas to three Wall Street Journal journalists, who also reported on national security issues, The Post reported.
"The government's subpoenas to The Wall Street Journal and our reporters represent an attack on constitutionally protected newsgathering," Ashok Sinha, chief communications officer for Dow Jones, said in May. "We will vigorously oppose this effort to stifle and intimidate essential reporting."
At the time, the Journal said the Justice Department issued subpoenas for records on reporting about the Iran war, but it did not report at the time that federal officials were trying to force their testimony.
Olivia Petersen, spokesperson for The Washington Post, confirmed that Nakashima was subpoenaed, calling the move an unwarranted violation of press freedom and "another sign of the government seeking to compel journalists to become instruments of its investigations," Politico reported.
The Post was fighting the subpoena in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia in sealed proceedings when the department rescinded Nakashima's subpoena, an official familiar with the matter told The Post.
The Justice Department also withdrew the subpoenas for the Journal, which had been fighting in the same court. None of the journalists testified before a grand jury, the official said. The reasons for the subpoenas are not clear, though the source said they relate to national security.
In January, the FBI raided a Post reporter's home, and the Pentagon last year revoked journalists' credentials for not signing an agreement about what they can report.