The Justice Department on Monday issued a formal policy that restricts the ability of federal prosecutors to obtain the records of reporters, a policy shift that followed intense lobbying by free press advocates and media organizations outraged by the Trump administration’s efforts to obtain such data. Gen. Merrick Garland said federal prosecutors would no longer use grand jury subpoenas or any other “compulsory legal process” to obtain information from reporters acting within the scope of their jobs. Prosecutors were seeking how reporters learned details about the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and other sensitive matters. Journalism and free press groups hailed Garland’s new policy, saying it would help protect reporters’ sources. The Justice Department under President Obama aggressively pursued leak investigations, though under media pressure crafted regulations making it harder for prosecutors to obtain journalists’ records.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 19, 2021 17:03 UTC