Journalist 'shield law' may benefit terrorists, House panel told by * admin

[babylonsister]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/06/15/MNGDVQFUTK1.DTL&feed=rss.news

Journalist bill may benefit terrorists, House panel told
Committee chair says Justice officials' remarks are 'absurd'

Zachary Coile, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Friday, June 15, 2007


(06-15) 04:00 PDT Washington -- The Bush administration, which opposes legislation to shield journalists from revealing their confidential sources, warned lawmakers Thursday that the measure's broad definition of journalists could protect the media wings of terrorist groups.

But House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., challenged the Justice Department's claim, calling it "totally absurd."

The administration made the assertion that terrorists would seek to evade prosecution by invoking a reporter's privilege in federal court at a Judiciary Committee hearing on the media shield bill. The bill would protect reporters, in most cases, from having to disclose their confidential sources or turn over documents to federal prosecutors.

Although the effort to protect reporters stalled last year in the House and Senate, supporters said its prospects appear to be improving in the new Congress controlled by Democrats.

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[MNDemNY]

1. Free elections aid terrorists. We must do away with them NOW.

[Buzz Clik]

2. Funny how many basic rights tend to aid the terrorists:

• free press
  
• dissent
  
• public protest
  
• the right to privacy
  
• personal bank records
  
• libraries

Bush has chosen an interesting way to combat terrorism. He says, "They hate us because of all the freedoms we enjoy." So, he has taken it upon himself to remove their motivations -- no rights, no terrorism.

Makes sense.

[blueworld]

3. Huh?

I could be wrong, but I thought this administration gave itself the right to spy on every internet transmission, every phone call & every piece of junk mail that could possibly be related to anyone anywhere who can spell terrorism? They have traps set on the bloody lines the ISP's use all over this country, courtesy of the telecoms. Some poor guy in GA was arrested because his bumper-sticker said "Bushit".

They're monitoring every transmission between the Himalayas and Death Valley & they still can't catch bin Laden, but protecting our Free Press will let terrorists get off on a technicality? Terrorist suspects aren't even allowed trials. They're rendered. They disappear.

This administration shovels so much pure crap so fast about so many things, it's no wonder we can't fix what's wrong with this country. We're dizzy.:crazy: