On latimes.com today Sen. John McCain pledged to back a shield law for journalists, a position contrary to the Bush administration’s stance. The proposed federal shield law would protect journalists' confidential sources.
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“The shield law would give great license to you and your sources, with few restrictions, to do as you please no matter the stakes involved…” McCain said.
“It is, frankly, a license to do harm, perhaps serious harm. But it’s also a license to do good, to disclose injustice and unlawfulness and inequities and to encourage their swift correction.”
Journalists would have new rights when compelled to testify about their sources. Exceptions are included though, in cases such as terrorism, a judge would have the final call.
The legislation easily passed the house, and is set to be voted on in the senate. Bush officials have threatened with a presidential veto, calling the law “unwise and unnecessary” going on to explain that such a law would encourage government leaks.
“I know that the press that disclosed security secrets that should have remained so also revealed the disgrace of Abu Ghraib, a disgrace that made it much harder to protect the American people from harm,” McCain reasoned. “Thus, despite concerns I have about the legislation, I have narrowly decided to support it.”
The Associated Press crowd was excited about McCain’s decision.
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