In light of recent developments with Matt Cooper and Judith Miller, lawmakers are suddenly interested in discussing a federal shield law for journalists.
The Senate Judiciary Committee could be the next stop for the those involved in the federal probe into who exposed undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame as it weighs a bill that would protect reporters who refuse to identify their sources.
Those called to testify could include the media outlets and the prosecutor in the case, in which New York Times reporter Judith Miller was jailed Wednesday. Plame’s identity was first revealed publicly in a column by Robert Novak.
“If they would be interested in coming to testify, I think it would be informative and possibly useful,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a former Texas Supreme Court judge and state attorney general.
Despite a pending Supreme Court nomination, Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., has said the media shield bill — sponsored by Sen. Dick Lugar, R-Ind. — is one of several he expects to come before his committee this month. A spokesman said Wednesday the hearing is tentatively set for July 20 and that a witness list still is being worked out with Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the panel’s top Democrat.
I’m certainly pleased to see the Judiciary Committee take this up, but is this a good time to point out that the same Judiciary Committee might also consider the Plame scandal itself for a hearing or two? Yes, a debate over shielding journalists is an interesting byproduct of this controversy, but it’s absurd to lose sight of the outrage that prompted the discussion in the first place.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad senators are interested in the issue, but is it too much to ask that they also take an interest in the fact that the Bush White House is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation?
In fact, has there ever been an instance in which the White House was investigated by an independent prosecutor and the Senate Judiciary Committee completely ignored the controversy? I don’t think so.