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NYPC Responds To Call
For Criminal Prosecution Of NYT Editors, Reporters
August 1, 2006
Hon. Peter King
U.S. House of Representatives
c/o Kevin Fogarty
Press Office
436 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman King:
The New York Press Club is writing to voice its serious concern
over your recent calls for editors and reporters of The New York
Times to be criminally prosecuted for reporting on the Treasury
Department's terror money monitoring program.
We find it troubling that you would repeatedly demand the Justice
Department "begin an investigation and prosecution of The
New York Times--the reporters, the editors and the publisher"
and that you went so far as to label the work of the Times "treasonous."
We at the Press Club are concerned about such pronouncements--especially
when they come from a New York-based Congressman who serves as
Chair of the Homeland Security Committee.
While you appear to have singled out the Times for "prosecution,"
The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times also found
the story in the "public interest" and reported on
the program. Far from being reckless, these papers appear to
have
taken extraordinary steps to get at the truth and to report the
story in a way that took into account the concerns raised by
Administration officials.
We want to be clear--the Press Club welcomes honest and open
debate about when or even whether newspapers should have published
this particular story. We know among our hundreds of members--there
is plenty of room for debate. However on this one point we at
the Press Club are unanimous: calling for reporters and editors
of one of the nation's leading papers to be criminally prosecuted
was unfair and wrong.
Sincerely,
Stephannia Cleaton
President
Gabe Pressman
Chairman
Freedom of the Press Committee
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Crisis
Manual
The U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) is out with a manual working journalists
can't afford to be without.
Terrorism and Other Public
Health Emergencies: A Reference Guide for Media includes information on topics including:
- the roles
of different parts of the federal government in a public health
emergency
- potential
public health terrorism events (chemical, biological, radiological)
- emerging
public health threats such as pandemic flu
- self-care
tips for journalists
- likely
public reactions to such events
The information in the guide
was reviewed by over 90 federal public health experts for technical
accuracy.
An electronic version of the
reference guide is available at http://www.hhs.gov/emergency.
It can also be ordered free of charge by calling (240)629-3161. |
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Stand Up For The First Amendment
The New York Press Club Freedom
of the Press Committee provides assistance and support to journalists
faced with problems such as the failure to divulge confidential
news sources, or, being barred from a court hearing.
If you are a working journalist
who is being denied access to cover a public news event you believe
you should be allowed to cover, please report the problem by
calling the New York Press Club at 212-563-2130, faxing us at
212-563-2487, or click
here to send us an e-mail description of the problem.
We may be able to help. |
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Free Legal Advice
Our friends at the New York State
Bar Association are offering a free, detailed manual on legal
issues.
Click here to check out the manual and download the parts
that you need.
Our thanks, as always, to the
NYSBA for all their help! |
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