House Passes Media Shield Law, But Bush Promises To Veto

Editor & Publisher, AP:

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.

Read the whole story: Editor & Publisher, AP

Comments

[leftLibertarian]

Hearing Bush talk about freedom is like hearing a whore talk about chastity.

[BUSHsurvivor]

Only when a Bushie leaks is it not a leak.

[stargazer13]

My Mom told me more then once that when our government stamps the words National Security on some thing its because they don.t want the American people to no about it probably because the American people would not approve of it makes sense to me

[stargazer13]

I wonder did we not all ready do this years before
it seems that things just keep coming up that we have already passed laws about

[Jamchinadian]

The very first casualty of this disastrous mis-administration, with the complicity of the conventional media, has been the abuse and torture of language.
Why is it that every time Shrubco. announce the next new evil plan it's announced by everyone, including the Media lackeys, as a "promise".
Should that headline not have been "House Passes Media Shield Law, But Bush *THREATENS* To Veto"???!!!
Likewise it should be "Bush THREATENS to veto SCHIP"!!!
Did no one learn the difference between a Promise and a THREAT???!!!
What is wrong with everyone - have they all gone tone deaf???

[tonyrich]

I wonder what Rush Head and Bill'" right think of this another Bush Veto, against Americans rights to information

[Nyla785]

That Retroactive Legal Immunity for Telecom companies that passed customer info to the government for the surveillance program really has me perplexed. If they didn't do anything wrong, why do they need 'immunity'? And if they DID do something wrong, isn't it unconsitutional to deny the public redress against them?
I want my Constitution back.

[joandarc]

This Legistlation is not complete in my opinion.

I would like to see an exception allowing only limited immunity or no immunity at all for leaks out of an Administration which turn out to be
deliberate disinformation.

That will stop the Libbys and Millers of the world from misleading the public for their own ends.

[Gary47]

Get this bill passed as soon as possible. That's what this country needs is much of this admin's so-called "classified" info revealed. They only want it stopped to avoid criminal prosecution.

[MetalPhil]

I think what's important here is that the media _must_ have teeth. It is incredibly important that the media be able to out the administration on the illegal actions it is taking, etc. A media without teeth is a complicit media (see: post-9/11 media).

Also, what drives me the most crazy about this entire thing is how it's always, always, always the specter of 'national security' that drives these people. How does this kind of fear-mongering even work anymore? Shouldn't everyone by now have figured out that it's just scare tactics?

I'm happy to see the congress is doing something worthwhile, such as this.

[fact finder]

MetalPhil; If you think that we receive correct news now go to the George Washington's blog and click on out compete the bad guys. Also Operation Mockingbird.

[JewishJesus]

....And the Repuke base and the rest of the yahoos who still don't know what a newspaper or tv are...probably thinks a veto by this traitor is a GOOD idea.Just wait 'til the trolls wake up from sleeping under that bridge with all those billygoats...they'll tell you how this is GOOD for national security,etc.etc.!!! Screw you all!!!

[JewishJesus]

The most secretive bunch of war criminals now wants the press to "dummy up" and not be shielded from prosecution for keeping sources confidential.....is a sick joke!!Chimpy McCokespoon must be back on the white powder! Other than he's the real-life Manchurian Candidate, what's the secret???? Fuck you, George....you ruined America in just 6 short years. You're such a sick bastard, you didn't even need both terms in office to do it!!!

[JewishJesus]

.....in case there's ANY doubt....FUCK YOU,GEORGE W.BUSH.....you traitor, war criminal and rat bastard!!!

[LittleGreenGreaseBalls]

Hey, don't hold back. Tell us what you really think. :)

[LenP]

It's very strange that Rep Mike Pence from Indiana would co-sponsor this bill, since he is the Rep who famously said that "being in Baghdad was like being at a market in Indiana."

He has been a HUGE supporter of the war, and ANYTHING Bush wanted to do.

He's got to have some POLITICAL reason for doing this...

I don't think he REALLY cares about checks and balances...

OH! I get it! He wants to be Re-Elected!

[dadw5boys]

BUSH KNOWS HOW TO DISCROUAGE WHISTLE BLOWERS DOESN'T HE?
LET'S HOPE THEY OVER RIDE HIS VETO SO WHISTLE BLOWERS CAN COME FORWARDS BEFORE HE LEAVES OFFICE.

[Nonamnesiac]

As I understand it, there is a gaping hole in this legislation -- a reporter would still have to disclose sources when issues of national security are involved. Given how Bush (or any President) defines national security, the Bill appears to give more weapons to force reporters to disclose sources than they have now. That's why it passed by such overwhelming numbers. It's another one of those Bills that can make legislators appear in favor of whistle blowing and other popular issues, when in fact it does the opposite. Another example of 1984 in the 21st Century.