Will Time rat out their source?
We give up, Judge Hogan. We will
betray our source. Please don't jail
us.
NEW YORK When Matthew Cooper of Time magazine and Judith Miller of The New York Times return late Wednesday afternoon to face the federal judge who ordered them to jail last fall for refusing to reveal confidential sources, two different outcomes may emerge.
While New York Times officials have maintained that Miller will not reveal the source who leaked to her the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame, a source close to Time Inc. told E&P that the company is considering handing over documents that would reveal the source.
Cooper declined to comment.
........................
In addition to ordering the reporters to jail, Hogan also ordered Time to pay a $1,000-per-day fine for each day that the source's identity is withheld. The Times was not hit with such a fine.
I'm of two minds on this.
One, betraying a source is despicable. One of the things that a journalist is taught in college is that protecting a source is paramount, worth jail time. 49 states have shield laws.. On the principles, this is a vile, vile thing they're doing.
Two, the person who leaked this is a traitor to this country and needs to be exposed for what he or she is. I will lose no sleep if this person is exposed and prosecuted.
But if Time was going to rat, like Novak and Timmah did, they could have done this months ago.
posted by Steve @ 8:22:00 AM
