Senators Leahy and Specter Urge Senate Action on Federal Shield Bill

On March 6, Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-PA) urged party leaders to schedule floor time for the federal shield legislation. The Free Flow of Information Act (S. 2035), introduced by Sens. Schumer, Specter and Leahy, passed favorably out of the Judiciary Committee last October, but has since been stalled in the Senate, largely due to concerns raised by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ). In a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sens. Leahy and Specter emphasized that this bi-partisan legislation is deserving of Senate consideration because it provides a qualified privilege, and a similar measure passed the House of Representatives by a veto-proof majority.

NAA and other media organizations are calling on the Senate to act quickly on the legislation after a federal judge ordered Toni Locy, a former USA Today reporter and now university professor, to personally pay contempt fines for refusing to reveal her confidential sources in former Army scientist Steven Hatfill's Privacy suit against the federal government. In an unprecedented ruling, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton ordered Ms. Locy to personally pay fines of $500 a day for the first week, $1,000 a day for the second week and $5,000 thereafter until her next court appearance in early April and prohibited her former employer, or anyone, from reimbursing her.

Senate Action on a shield bill could occur in April or May, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) must be encouraged to schedule floor time on this important issue.

First Published:
March 12, 2008