goodbye, journalism

Times Reporter Ordered to Testify

Against former CIA against who allegedly leaked info.

In one of seven leak-related cases prosecuted by the Obama administration, New York Times reporter James Risen has been ordered by a federal appeals court to testify against a former CIA officer charged with leaking classified information to him. Two of the three-judge panel decided the First Amendment does not cover reporters who are the recipients of unathorized leaks. "Risen is without dispute the only witness who can offer this critical testimony,” wrote Chief Judge William Byrd Traxler Jr. Jeffrey Sterling is accused of giving Risen information for his book, State of War, about a Clinton-era operation involving Iranian scientists. Risen has said he will appeal any appeals-court loss to the Supreme Court, and pledged to go to prison instead of testifying.