By Jack Queen
NEW YORK, July 23 (Reuters) - The Trump administration will withdraw subpoenas issued to New York Times' journalists who reported on security concerns about the president flying on a Qatari-donated Air Force One, a prosecutor said at a court hearing on Thursday.
The subpoenas issued by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton on July 10 were the latest instance of the Trump administration seeking to compel journalists to divulge confidential sources in leak investigations, a practice press-freedom advocates say can chill reporting.
A prosecutor with Clayton's office informed U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian of the decision after the judge spent roughly 1-1/2 hours questioning government attorneys about procedural issues in the leak investigation, including their handling of subpoenas for reporters' phone records.
"The government is prepared unilaterally to withdraw the subpoenas," prosecutor Sean Buckley said, noting that the probe was ongoing and that the government could subpoena the reporters again.
#administration #issued
NEW YORK, July 23 (Reuters) - The Trump administration will withdraw subpoenas issued to New York Times' journalists who reported on security concerns about the president flying on a Qatari-donated Air Force One, a prosecutor said at a court hearing on Thursday.
The subpoenas issued by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton on July 10 were the latest instance of the Trump administration seeking to compel journalists to divulge confidential sources in leak investigations, a practice press-freedom advocates say can chill reporting.
A prosecutor with Clayton's office informed U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian of the decision after the judge spent roughly 1-1/2 hours questioning government attorneys about procedural issues in the leak investigation, including their handling of subpoenas for reporters' phone records.
"The government is prepared unilaterally to withdraw the subpoenas," prosecutor Sean Buckley said, noting that the probe was ongoing and that the government could subpoena the reporters again.
#administration #issued
2 months ago
