Houses Easily Passes Shield Law -- Bush Promises Veto

[babylonsister]

Houses Easily Passes Shield Law -- Bush Promises Veto

By E&P Staff and The Associated Press

Published: October 16, 2007 10:30 PM ET

WASHINGTON Saying the free flow of information must not be choked off, the House on Tuesday took up a media shield bill to protect the confidentiality of reporters' sources in most federal court cases. The White House, warning that the bill would encourage leaks of classified information, threatened a veto.

The House overwhelmingly approved the bill Tuesday. The measure was passed on a bipartisan vote, 398-21, with 176 Republicans joining virtually all Democrats to support the bill.

The White House issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying President Bush's advisers would recommend he veto the legislation unless it's changed, claiming the bill is too broad and could harm national security.

"It is likely that the legislation will encourage more leaks of classified information by giving leakers such a formidable shield behind which they can hide," the statement read.

Under the bill, reporters could still be forced to disclose information on sources if that information is needed to prevent acts of terrorism or harm to the national security.

That wasn't enough for the White House, which said the privileges given to reporters "could severely frustrate — an in some cases completely eviscerate — the ability to investigate acts of terrorism or threats to national security."

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http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003659071

[Swamp Rat]

1. IMPEACH!!!

Where is our leadership in DC? x(

[babylonsister]

2. Amen, Swamp Rat!

:loveya: And what leadership are you talking of? :shrug: