Blog
Moultrie Observer — Shield law is viable tool in keeping our government honest
- By: ASNE staff
- On: 05/08/2008 12:28:10
- In: Shield law editorials
April 25, 2008
Quite often when politicians get burned by the press their secret dealings shaken from rugs and closets they typically are obsessed with how the press found out as much as the fact that they found out.
In other words, “
April 25, 2008
Quite often when politicians get burned by the press their secret dealings shaken from rugs and closets they typically are obsessed with how the press found out as much as the fact that they found out.
In other words, “who snitched on me?”
And sometimes there are those prosecutors, whose abilities to investigate and procure evidence may be severely lacking, simply want to go trolling among experienced reporters’ notes. In other words, make the reporter reveal his sources.
But somewhat strangely though, a federally proposed shield law for reporters is getting some bi-partisan support than one might have expected. It may have a lot to do with more acute observing of how our governments, especially the federal government, tend to mislead and hide events and circumstances that may eventually costs federal lawmakers lots of embarrassment for appearing to condone such actions or at least not to have pushed for greater oversight.
Events like Abu Ghraib and the appalling conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, just blocks away from the U.S. Capitol, may not be told in the future if some shield protection isn’t available.
The shield law is not absolute. Reporters do not have the right nor should they have the right to withhold information that may lead to a terrorist attacks or other horrific events. That’s not its intent.
Presidential candidates McCain, Clinton and Obama have voiced support for the shield law. One of its sponsors is the very conservative Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana.
Meanwhile the Bush administration is adamantly opposed to a shield law. Go figure. With all the misleading and attempts at secrecy by this administration, it would seem quite a contrast to now support a shield law.
Even though we have long tout our balance of power in our federal government, sometimes it simply isn’t balanced. Our vice president was really sure which branch he belonged to. Thus the need for an aggressive free press to attempt to keep government honest is paramount these days. And certainly a federal shield law is a viable tool for that cause.