New York Times investigative reporter James Risen has been embroiled in an ugly court battle with the Department of Justice for years (including prior to the Obama administration). DOJ and Attorney General Eric Holder have been fighting with the power of the federal government to get him thrown in jail and have gone to extensive lengths to find out who his sources are.
Yesterday, Holder attended a free press event at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. where he claimed to know the importance of a free press in a properly functioning democracy and that the administration has gone easy on whistleblowers and leakers. The opposite is true.
Risen took to Twitter to respond to Holder's remarks, saying the Obama administration has essentially eliminated the First Amendment and press freedom.
Eric Holder has sent a message to dictators around the world that it is okay to crack down on the press and jail journalists.
— James Risen (@JamesRisen) February 18, 2015
Eric Holder leaves behind a wrecked First Amendment.
— James Risen (@JamesRisen) February 18, 2015Eric Holder managed to destroy any semblance of a reporters privilege in the United States.
— James Risen (@JamesRisen) February 18, 2015This is Eric Holder's true legacy on press freedom:
"There is no First Amendment "reporter's privilege."
From DOJ brief in my case.
— James Risen (@JamesRisen) February 18, 2015Eric Holder has done the bidding of the intelligence community and the White House to damage press freedom in the United States.
— James Risen (@JamesRisen) February 18, 2015I 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.
— James Risen (@JamesRisen) February 18, 2015My 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.
— James Risen (@JamesRisen) February 18, 2015Just two weeks ago Reporters Without Borders published its latest press freedom index. The United States has dropped to 43rd, down 29 spots since 2010.