In sad tradition, media watchers this time of year turn their columns to annual totals of journalists killed or jailed, which most Americans in turn tend to ignore, figuring that can’t happen here.
But, it does happen here.
On Wednesday, Oregon’s Senator Ron Wyden made the case for an act strengthening protections for American journalists, and at one point reminded, ” Both the Trump and Obama administrations went too far in prosecuting journalists just for doing their jobs.”
We hope you’ll read Sen. Wyden’s speech below, we promise, it’s short and to the point.
The Speech
“If you don’t have a free press, you don’t have a democracy. Individual freedom and press freedom go hand in hand.
If you want to see what happens when governments undermine and then eliminate the free press, look at Russia. Look at Saudi Arabia. Look at Iran. Information becomes a tool of power, abuse, and manipulation in the hands of the government rather than a tool of education, expression and enlightenment in the hands of the people.
Let’s be clear, the threat of government overreach interfering with the free press in the United States is not a far-off, hypothetical proposition. It happened very recently in our past.
The Trump administration spied on several journalists at outlets the disgraced ex-president personally disliked and attacked, grabbing phone and email records. The extent of this abuse of power has come out in shocking revelations over the last few years. And the Trump administration was not the first to do this kind of thing. Both the Trump and Obama administrations went too far in prosecuting journalists just for doing their jobs.
A lot of members of the Senate talk about their interest in protecting journalism in America. My view is, the PRESS Act is the best opportunity we have to make progress on that goal before this Congress ends in a few weeks.
The PRESS Act would protect the free flow of information by shielding journalists from being ordered by the courts to give up their sources. The bill includes key exceptions, such as when that information is necessary to prevent an act of terrorism against the United States, or necessary to prevent the threat of imminent violence.
It’s very similar to legislation already on the books in several states, including my home state of Oregon and Senator Lee’s home state of Utah. But these are protections that ought to stretch from sea to shining sea.
This is also a proposal that brings both sides together. The House passed the PRESS Act a few months ago unanimously. These days you can’t even get every member of the House to agree that there are 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week.
So my view is, passing the PRESS Act now is a can’t-miss opportunity for the Senate to protect the free press in America.
This is good for the free flow of information. It’s good for government accountability. And it’s good for the democratic ideals on which this country was founded.
Let’s send the PRESS Act to the President’s desk today. ”
Watch a video of the remarks here.
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