Congressional Democrats to Push for Federal Shield Law

february 20, 2007  04:06 pm
Reps. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.) plan to reintroduce their long-stalled legislation that would shield reporters from having to reveal their sources to federal prosecutors in most cases, according to the Chronicle. The exceptions would be in cases where disclosure could prevent imminent harm to national security, where journalists were first-hand observers to a crime, and where a corporation's trade secret was revealed. The Chronicle also reports that Sens. Chris Dodd, (D-Conn.) and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) are preparing to reintroduce a similar bill in the Senate.