Justice Dept Backs Down on Journalist Subpoenas | Bakersfield News

The Justice Department backed down from forcing reporters to reveal sources after a judge slammed their tactics as backward and unconstitutional, calling for sanctions and insisting the government must exhaust all other options before targeting journalists. Despite the department’s claim that the probe into national security leaks continues, they withdrew subpoenas to The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal after admitting procedural errors—including mistakenly seeking records of reporters’ family members. The judge’s public ruling, which exposed the administration’s initial desire for secrecy, underscored the critical balance between investigative power and press freedom, delivering a major victory for journalists’ rights. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/9d986ecb45935c86