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Gold writes: "'Eric Holder has been the nation's top censorship officer, not the top law enforcement officer,' Risen tweeted. 'Eric Holder has done the bidding of the intelligence community and the White House to damage press freedom in the United States.'"

James Risen, a reporter for The New York Times. (photo: Alex Menendez/AP)
James Risen, a reporter for The New York Times. (photo: Alex Menendez/AP)


James Risen Slams Holder, 'Administration Is Greatest Enemy of Press Freedom'

By Hadas Gold, Politico

18 February 15

 

ew York Times reporter James Risen slammed Attorney General Eric Holder in a series of tweets Tuesday evening, calling the Obama administration “The greatest enemy of press freedom in a generation.”

“Eric Holder has been the nation's top censorship officer, not the top law enforcement officer,” Risen tweeted. “Eric Holder has done the bidding of the intelligence community and the White House to damage press freedom in the United States.”

Risen was tweeting in response to a speech Holder gave earlier on Tuesday at the National Press Club, where he defended the administration’s record on prosecuting leakers, saying they could have prosecuted far more than they actually did.

“We have tried to be appropriately sensitive in bringing those cases that warranted prosecution,” Holder said. “We have turned away, I mean, turned away substantially greater number of cases that were presented to us where prosecution was sought.”

For seven years Risen mounted a legal battle against government demands that he identify his confidential sources for parts of a 2006 book where he detailed a CIA plan to undermine Iran’s nuclear program. The Supreme Court declined his request to take up the case, which left Risen with virtually no protection against being forced to identify his sources, although he vowed he would never do so. As a result, Risen became the latest face of first amendment rights and reporter’s privilege in the United States.

Late last year Holder dropped the demand that Risen reveal his sources. In January, former CIA officer Jeffrey Sterling was found guilty on nine felony counts for the leak.

“Eric Holder has sent a message to dictators around the world that it is okay to crack down on the press and jail journalists,” Risen tweeted on Tuesday. “Eric Holder leaves behind a wrecked First Amendment.”

“Eric Holder managed to destroy any semblance of a reporter’s privilege in the United States,” he continued. “This is Eric Holder's true legacy on press freedom: ‘There is no First Amendment ‘reporter's privilege.’ From DOJ brief in my case.”

"I plan to spend the rest of my life fighting to undo damage done to press freedom in the United States by Barack Obama and Eric Holder," Risen continued in another tweet. "My son is a reporter. I don't want him to have to live in a country where there is less press freedom than when I started as a journalist."

Brian Fallon, Holder's top spokesperson, replied to Risen's tweet late Tuesday about there being no "reporter's privilege" in the First Amendment.

"That's what the law says, Jim. Urge Congress to pass the media shield bill and it will be different," Fallon said.

In another tweet responding to Risen's assertion that the Obama administraiton is the "greatest enemy to press freedom," Fallon tweeted "Ridiculous on its face considering past [administraitons] actually did jail reporters."

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