Dear Carmelo:

Last week, the Supreme Court refused to hear a case that could imprison two reporters for refusing to reveal their anonymous sources to a federal prosecutor investigating who leaked the identity of former CIA operative Valerie Plame.

The decision deals a serious blow to the rights of journalists and to the First Amendment. It has cast a chill over investigative reporters who promise confidentiality to sources in exchange for sensitive information on government wrongdoing.

Crucial information will not be made public without laws to shield journalists from this sort of government inquiry. Forty-nine states have such “shield laws” on the books or judicial precedent that recognizes a reporters’ right to protect their sources. But there’s no protection for reporters in federal court.

“The Free Flow of Information Act,” a bipartisan bill pending in the Senate (S. 340) and the House (H.R. 581), would establish a federal shield.

Sign our petition to support a federal shield law protecting journalists and their confidential sources.

Judith Miller of the New York Times and Matthew Cooper of Time magazine could be sentenced to jail as soon as tomorrow. But the impact of their case will be felt for much longer. All anonymous whistleblowers are at risk if journalists face jail time for refusing to reveal their sources. Fearing reprisal, whistleblowers will not come forward.

Without a federal shield law, matters of vital public importance will never see the light of day. This isn’t merely bad for journalists. It’s dangerous to our democracy.

Please sign the petition urging Congress to pass S. 340 and H.R. 581.

Then forward along this message to everyone you know.

Onward,

Josh Silver
Executive Director
Free Press
www.freepress.net

P.S. The Newspaper Guild is holding rallies tomorrow to protest the jailing of reporters and to promote a federal shield law. Events are planned for Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dayton, Denver, Los Angeles, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Rochester, San Jose, St. Louis, St. Paul and Washington, D.C. Click here for more information.