It’s not clear when the judge might rule on Chen’s request to hold Herridge in contempt. “The First Amendment interest in protecting journalists’ sources is at its highest in cases, like this, involving reporting on national security,” Philbin wrote in court papers. That settlement resulted in a contempt order being vacated against a journalist who was being asked to name her sources. Courts have recognized that journalists have a limited privilege to keep confidential their sources, allowing reporters to block subpoenas in the past. “If sources can’t be given credible assurances of confidentiality, they won’t come forward,” said Rottman, director of the group’s Technology and Press Freedom Project.

Source: Fox News November 15, 2023 02:20 UTC