instaPoll: Do you believe the scope of the subpoenas strikes the proper balance between the freedom of the press and the need to protect the American people?

On May 13, 2013, Gary Pruitt, President and CEO of the Associated Press, sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, upon learning that the Department of Justice had obtained telephone records for over twenty phone lines of AP journalists – spanning a two-month timeframe – related to leaks of national security information.   The Code of Federal Regulations requires that "all reasonable alternative investigative steps should be taken before considering issuing a subpoena for telephone toll records of any member of the news media."  Additionally, the Code requires that the Justice Department negotiate in advance of a subpoena with members of the media, unless that negotiation would undermine the integrity of the investigation.  On May 14th, Deputy Attorney General James Cole replied to Mr. Pruitt's letter saying, "the subpoenas were limited in both time and scope," and the records were "closely held and reviewed solely for the purposes of this ongoing criminal investigation."   As Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said, "The burden is always on the government when they go after private information – especially information regarding the press or its confidential sources."    Question of the week:  Do you believe the scope of the subpoenas strikes the proper balance between the freedom of the press and the need to protect the American people?    (  ) Yes.  (  ) No.  (  ) I don't know. (  ) Other.  Take the instaPoll here.   Find the results of last week's instaPoll here.

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