BECKHAM
07-06-2013, 01:19 AM
Attorney General Eric Holder, under political fire for investigative tactics involving journalists in national security leak inquiries, pledged Thursday that he would "not prosecute any reporter'' for doing their job."First, the department's goal in investigating leak cases is to identify and prosecute government officials who jeopardize national security by violating their oaths, not to target members of the press or discourage them from carrying out their vital work,'' Holder told a Senate panel. "Second, the (Justice) department has not prosecuted, and for as long as I'm attorney general of the United States, will not prosecute any reporter for doing his or her job.''
Questions about Justice's scrutiny of journalists emerged last month when it was disclosed that authorities had secretly obtained telephone records for 20 lines used by Associated Press journalists as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the source of information for an article about a foiled terrorist plot in Yemen.
In a separate leak investigation focusing on a former State Department contractor, authorities characterized a Fox News correspondent in a search warrant affidavit as a suspected "co-conspirator.''
The disclosures prompted President Obama to order a review of Justice Department guidelines governing investigations involving journalists, while some Republican lawmakers have called for the attorney general to resign.
Holder, whose appearance before a Senate appropriations subcommittee coincided with new disclosures about a massive National Security Agency surveillance effort involving U.S. citizen telephone records, declined to respond to reporters' questions about whether news reports about that program would prompt yet another leak probe.
Addressing panel members, Holder said the Justice Department is updating internal guidelines in leak inquiries to "ensure that in every case the department's actions are clear and consistent with our most sacred values.''
Noting the leak controversy, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., did not specifically call for Holder to resign or refer to new disclosures about the NSA's surveillance effort, but he asked the attorney general what "tipping point'' would prompt a decision to resign.
"The tipping point might be fatigue,'' Holder said. "There are certain goals that I set for myself and the department. When we get to a point when we have accomplished those goals, I will sit down with the president and talk about a transition. I am proud of the work I have done. When time comes for me to step aside for my successor, I will do so.''
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., meanwhile, offered a strong endorsement of Holder, saying: "I believe in your integrity; I believe you are a good attorney general.''
Questions about Justice's scrutiny of journalists emerged last month when it was disclosed that authorities had secretly obtained telephone records for 20 lines used by Associated Press journalists as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the source of information for an article about a foiled terrorist plot in Yemen.
In a separate leak investigation focusing on a former State Department contractor, authorities characterized a Fox News correspondent in a search warrant affidavit as a suspected "co-conspirator.''
The disclosures prompted President Obama to order a review of Justice Department guidelines governing investigations involving journalists, while some Republican lawmakers have called for the attorney general to resign.
Holder, whose appearance before a Senate appropriations subcommittee coincided with new disclosures about a massive National Security Agency surveillance effort involving U.S. citizen telephone records, declined to respond to reporters' questions about whether news reports about that program would prompt yet another leak probe.
Addressing panel members, Holder said the Justice Department is updating internal guidelines in leak inquiries to "ensure that in every case the department's actions are clear and consistent with our most sacred values.''
Noting the leak controversy, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., did not specifically call for Holder to resign or refer to new disclosures about the NSA's surveillance effort, but he asked the attorney general what "tipping point'' would prompt a decision to resign.
"The tipping point might be fatigue,'' Holder said. "There are certain goals that I set for myself and the department. When we get to a point when we have accomplished those goals, I will sit down with the president and talk about a transition. I am proud of the work I have done. When time comes for me to step aside for my successor, I will do so.''
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., meanwhile, offered a strong endorsement of Holder, saying: "I believe in your integrity; I believe you are a good attorney general.''