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Attorney General Won't Force New York Times Reporter To Reveal Source

Posted by timothy on from the quite-munificent-of-him dept.

schwit1 (797399) writes Attorney General Eric Holder has decided against forcing a reporter for the New York Times to reveal the identity of a confidential source, according to a senior Justice Department official. The reporter, James Risen, has been battling for years to stop prosecutors from forcing him to name his source for a book that revealed a CIA effort to sabotage Iran's nuclear weapons program. The government wanted Risen's testimony in the trial of a former CIA official, Jeffrey Sterling, accused of leaking classified information.

55 comments

  1. His dick is smelling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    how to tell it the most comfortabe way?

  2. Story should have linked... by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 4, Informative

    More about Jeff Sterling here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J...

    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
  3. Obama 2 The Rescue by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Obama will pin another secret executive order for the killing of James Risen and to have his disembodied liver to be sent to Obama for eating.

    Succulent.

    1. Re:Obama 2 The Rescue by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      with some fava beans.

      and a nice chianti

  4. Hope and change finally happening? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Eric Holder not acting like a person drunk with power? Wow, that's a change for an Obama Administration official.

    1. Re:Hope and change finally happening? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      Get someone to explain to you what the word "literally" means.

    2. Re:Hope and change finally happening? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      No. Seriously. He is literally Hitler's reanimated corpse in black-face. I have proof.

    3. Re:Hope and change finally happening? by davester666 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Um, no. They found out who the source was by going through all his internet traffic, accounts on web sites, logs of his phone calls, including audio of any call that happened to get routed outside of the US [which they all suddenly did once he became a target]. And they also broke into his house and searched it when he was away.

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
    4. Re:Hope and change finally happening? by magarity · · Score: 1, Insightful

      And they also broke into his house and searched it when he was away

      Well, he shouldn't have posted twitter that he just saw the cutest puppy at the mall pet shop.

  5. An Open Invitation to Eric Holder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

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  6. Hope and change finally happening? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Obama is literally Hitler.

  7. Professional courtesy by ChrisMaple · · Score: -1, Troll

    Among whores.

    --
    Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
    1. Re:Professional courtesy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      What a stupid comment.

    2. Re:Professional courtesy by _merlin · · Score: 1

      You obviously aren't a whore and don't know any. Whores don't try to poach customers from each other. Whores don't take it personally when a customer chooses another whore. I could go on, but it's off-topic. But I can assure you, professional courtesy definitely exists among whores.

  8. My biggest fear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    My biggest fear is that Iran attacks us with nuclear weapons.... and the POTUS surrenders.

    1. Re:My biggest fear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You should go outside more often

    2. Re:My biggest fear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      isreal is teh one with the nukes dumfuk

      potus already surrendered all decsion making to them

    3. Re:My biggest fear by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

      My biggest fear is that Iran attacks us with nuclear weapons.... and the POTUS surrenders.

      If that happened . . . Obama's crew would blame it on Bush and the CIA.

      I am really seriously wondering about what his strategy is right now. He seems to be burning bridges, and pushing both Democrats and Republicans further apart from each other. I used to think that Hilary Clinton was the shoo-in candidate to be the next President of the US.

      Now, I am not so sure. Obama seems to want to leave her with a scorched Earth policy to deal with.

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    4. Re: My biggest fear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      Obama isn't actually trying that hard to be divisive. It's simply a natural consequence of getting elected as a liberal promising to do liberal things, then actually governing as a conservative, all the while being called too liberal by the conservatives while actual liberals know better.

      In other words, election remorse from the left and intellectual dishonesty from the right. Great formula for having nobody like you.

    5. Re:My biggest fear by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 1

      I used to think that Hilary Clinton was the shoo-in candidate to be the next President of the US.

      Why would you think that? I mean yes, last I heard the Democrats are still planning to run her. But I don't understand why, because once the political machine starts revealing to the public what a rotten human being and traitor to America she has been, she is pretty much guaranteed to lose.

      I think having a woman President might be a fine thing. I think Hillary Clinton as President would be an unmitigated disaster.

    6. Re:My biggest fear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Last I heard the Republicans are still planning to run a Republican. But I don't understand why, because once the political machine starts revealing to the public what rotten human beings and traitors to America Republicans have been, they're pretty much guaranteed to lose.

    7. Re:My biggest fear by davester666 · · Score: 1

      or spend more time with a plastic bag taped over his head.

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
    8. Re:My biggest fear by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 1

      Last I heard the Republicans are still planning to run a Republican. But I don't understand why, because once the political machine starts revealing to the public what rotten human beings and traitors to America Republicans have been, they're pretty much guaranteed to lose.

      WHOOOOSH!!!

      The whole point was that it isn't about man or woman, Republican or Democrat, but about the character of the PERSON running for office.

      I know a little bit about Hillary Clinton. And she -- individually, personally, and regardless of what party she is affiliated with -- is a rotten lowlife excuse for a human being.

    9. Re:My biggest fear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know a little bit about Hillary Clinton. And she -- individually, personally, and regardless of what party she is affiliated with -- is a rotten lowlife excuse for a human being.

      Oh come on, that's just your opinion.

  9. Justice in the U.S.A by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    It increasingly seems like the American concept of justice is about punishing those who seek to show the evil the country does (Though in evil alone it is not). Thank God this decision has some sense in it. Now if only more of the Christians stopped focusing on the evangelising and crusading and trying to force their beliefs on others and instead started remembering that Moses said "Though shalt not kill" and that Jesus preached Peace and Love and said "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone."

    Nero played the violin as Rome burned.It seems he was not the only leader intent on burning his nation and its people. You cannot have Freedom and Free will when everything you are doing is being watched - that is the domain of the omniscient God. Love and intimacy require privacy. We already each have a number. Raise not the Beast. (And to all nations we are cousins and neighbours, love each other and forgive each other's sins. We may all have different beliefs and hopes and dreams but the truest infidel is the man who walks the path of violence.)

    Peace be upon all. I dream of the time when all faiths consider JeruSALEM the city of peace. War is the domain of Satan. Knowing truth is knowing God. The mission of Science is Truth.

    1. Re:Justice in the U.S.A by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      The mission of Science is Truth.

      The mission of science is *fact*. Truth is the domain of the philosophers and the religious.

    2. Re:Justice in the U.S.A by Ziest · · Score: 0

      Nero played the violin as Rome burned

      OK, try and pay attention now; the violin was developed in the 16th century, 1500 years AFTER Emperor Nero died. This is ancient propaganda.

      --
      Another day closer to redwood heaven
    3. Re:Justice in the U.S.A by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      And fact as is a subset of truth which is also a core of mathematics. Validity, equality, sameness and truth.

      However, I would argue the mission of Science is the recording and analysis of observations and measurements. Of course then it all comes down to proving whether the hypothesis is true or not.

    4. Re:Justice in the U.S.A by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      While it is in debate whether he played music, listened to it, sang or whatever, there was an instrument called the Cithara at the time which was wooden and comprised 4 to 7 strings. Ancient Egyptian tombs depict lyres, lutes (quite similar to a violin really) and harps. The most correct translation in English involves fiddling and violins. The rest is history.

    5. Re:Justice in the U.S.A by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ... This is ancient propaganda. ...

      Wouldn't it have been better to point-out the original translation was "Nero fiddled while Rome burned", which doesn't say what Nero was fiddling with.

    6. Re:Justice in the U.S.A by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Man In Black"

      Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
      Why you never see bright colors on my back,
      And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
      Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

      I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
      Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
      I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
      But is there because he's a victim of the times.

      I wear the black for those who never read,
      Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
      About the road to happiness through love and charity,
      Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

      Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
      In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
      But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
      Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.

      I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
      For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
      I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
      Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

      And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
      Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
      I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
      Believen' that we all were on their side.

      Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
      And things need changin' everywhere you go,
      But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
      You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

      Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
      And tell the world that everything's OK,
      But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
      'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.

    7. Re:Justice in the U.S.A by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And then as the fire burned he felt a fire in his loins and began to Masturbate furiously.

    8. Re:Justice in the U.S.A by khallow · · Score: 0

      Mathematics is not truth. It is in a sense logical consequences. If certain premises hold, then certain consequences follow. The premises need not be true in our reality in order for us to study them mathematically.

      You still have to show that the premises (such as your hypotheses) hold. That is beyond the ability of mathematics and leads you into some variation of empiricism such as scientific observation.

    9. Re:Justice in the U.S.A by Pikoro · · Score: 1

      Perhaps he was just burning CDs or DVDs.

      --
      "Freedom in the USA is not the ability to do what you want. It is the ability to stop others from doing what THEY want"
  10. James Risen vs James Rosen by srichard25 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Luckily, he is James Risen from the New York Times and he only tipped off terrorists to how they were being tracked, so the Obama administration sees no need to press him further. If he were James Rosen from Fox News trying to keep watch on our own government, then he would be labeled a criminal co-conspirator and flight risk by Eric Holder so that they could trace his phone calls and emails.

    1. Re:James Risen vs James Rosen by Mr.+Slippery · · Score: 3, Informative

      Luckily, he is James Risen from the New York Times... If he were James Rosen from Fox News...he would be labeled a criminal co-conspirator and flight risk by Eric Holder so that they could trace his phone calls and emails.

      They snooped on Rosen. That's bad.

      They snooped on Risen and threatened, repeatedly over the past six years, to lock him up. That's worse.

      Both journalists were attempting to enable the American people to keep tabs on the U.S. government (supposedly "theirs", in reality owned by corporate interests and the security-industrial complex). Your partisan take on the matter is counter-factual.

      --
      Tom Swiss | the infamous tms | my blog
      You cannot wash away blood with blood
    2. Re:James Risen vs James Rosen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      Ha ha ha!

      Here's a dummy who still believes that politics has "good guys" and "bad guys"!

      Good luck going through life with that worldview.

  11. HAND HIM OVER TO THE CIA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Let the CIA do what they need to do...

  12. B.Ed Admission by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    OSBMA India's Leading Admission Consultant in Delhi, provides direct admission in UG, PG Courses. OSBMA- Distance Education Consultant in Delhi also offers Animation Courses in Delhi.

  13. Shoulda used some ENHANCED INTERROGATION by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    on the dude. Bush/Cheney/Gonzales woulda.

  14. MOD PARENT UP TOP INFINITY!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    FOR THE LOVE OF BABY JESUS

  15. So, Holder was the source, eh? by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

    Good reason to avoid any unwanted attention...

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    1. Re:So, Holder was the source, eh? by greenwow · · Score: -1

      He does need to redirect the attention from his plan to give assault rifles to Mexican drug cartels. While his heart was in the right place in doing it, it ended-up not being effective. No new reasonable gun bans were enacted as a result.

  16. Holder won't force him to reveal source... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Gee! That's mighty white of him! I sure hope Hillary's people will be so merciful when she gets in!

    1. Re:Holder won't force him to reveal source... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      Go fuck yourself.

    2. Re:Holder won't force him to reveal source... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why do you say that?

  17. of course not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The administration depends on cheerleading by the press; they are going to try to avoid making enemies if they can.

  18. Misleading headline by fnj · · Score: 0

    Language and clear thought matter. If you don't think clearly, you end up with tripe like "oh, well they MADE me betray my ethics and principles, I didn't WANT to".

    Neither the Attorney General nor anyone else, nor any agency, can "force" anyone to reveal anything. All they can do is coerce and demand in an ATTEMPT to get him to reveal something, and failing that, punish him for not revealing it. Yes, the coercion can be very powerful, but no one can train a magic ray on you and make your lips and larynx form words you don't want to form.

    1. Re:Misleading headline by Livius · · Score: 1

      Yes, and it's very clear to most people that saying that the Attorney General is "forcing" someone usually means employing lawful methods of persuasion and not physically hijacking their nervous system with a technology that doesn't exist yet.

      The meaning of the word 'force' is coloured by its use in context. Same as every word in every language.

    2. Re:Misleading headline by EuclideanSilence · · Score: 1

      Do you actually believe that there is no exercise of force involved on the part of the state? The force to physically kidnap a person to interrogate them? The force to keep them from leaving an interrogation? The force being threatened during the interrogation? The force of killing someone who ultimately won't comply? And yes, governments will ultimately kill you if you don't comply, no matter how trivial their complaint is. It goes (1) government complaint (2) refuse to pay fine (3) refuse to go to jail (4) killed.

    3. Re:Misleading headline by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You'd be quite the pussy for not killing the people trying to kill you first

  19. New for n... by Deus.1.01 · · Score: 1

    You know what...fuck it, just look at nincompoops that posted the first posts, who the hell am I suppose to get this message across to.

    --
    My -1 Troll is actually a +1 funny. And my -1 flame is actually a +1 insightfull.
  20. Holder is a hypocritical liar by rconaway · · Score: 1

    If it's a Fox News reporter, Holder tears the guys life apart and even runs phone taps on his mother and threatens Fox News. In the case of a reporter for the New York Times, he publicly says it's okay. The difference being he already tore apart the NYT times reporter's life. Holder should be in jail for violating the privacy rights of both reporters and attempting to intimidate the press from monitoring and reporting the corruption of Holder and Obama.

  21. Misleading headline by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ahem, you must have missed the kerfuffle about "enhanced interrogation techniques".

  22. Civil rights are all fine and dandy by amightywind · · Score: -1

    Civil rights are all fine and dandy, but in war if you capture the enemy you gotta make 'em talk! What's a little high colonic compared to war? Good for Bush and Cheney!

    --
    an ill wind that blows no good