Press must be protected, not spied on

An open, free and unfettered press is a cornerstone of democracy and part and parcel of our liberty.

Government must never impede the work of journalists and that includes spying on reporters.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said his justice department will not spy on journalists or seize their tape recordings, notes or cellphone records except in exceptional cases.

To be perfectly clear, both Democrat and Republican administrations have had embattled relationships with the press and seized the records of journalists, and it has always been wrong.

Of course, the federal government should protect classified information, but the fear is that “stopping leaks” is more often than not just a ruse used to justify the seizure of both professional and personal records of journalists.

The First Amendment enshrines the principles of a free press.

The First Amendment prohibits the government from impeding or harassing the press.

The First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

It should not take action or a public statement by a sitting U.S. Attorney General to say the press will not be spied on and essentially harassed by the very government it is working to hold accountable.

The place of an open, free and unfettered press must not depend on the whims of whatever administration happens to hold power.

Congress must simply honor its creed: the First Amendment.

Federal lawmakers have introduced pieces of legislation to protect reporters against the actions of the state and we would absolutely welcome any such protections. While criminalizing the acts of government when it spies on journalists is warranted, we do already have this clear language enshrined in the Bill of Rights that protects the freedom of the press.

Ironically, it seems, the First Amendment is not enough.

— Valdosta Daily Times, July 28