WASHINGTON — A federal judge held veteran investigative pressreporter Catherine Herridge in civil contempt on Thursday for refusing to disclose her source for a series of Fox News stories about a Chinese American researcher who was examined by the FBI however neverever charged.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington enforced a fine of $800 per day till Herridge exposes her source, however the fine will not go into result rightaway to offer her time to appeal.
Cooper composed that he “recognizes the vital value of a totallyfree press in our society” and the crucial function of private sources in investigative journalism. But the judge stated the court “also has its own function to play in maintaining the law and protecting judicial authority.”
“Herridge and lotsof of her associates in the journalism neighborhood might disagree with that choice and choose that a various balance be struck, however she is not allowed to flout a federal court’s order with impunity,” composed Cooper, who was chose to the bench by previous President Barack Obama.
A legalrepresentative for Herridge, Patrick Philbin, decreased to remark.
The case hasactually been being carefully enjoyed by media supporters, who state requiring reporters to betray a guarantee of privacy might make sources believe twotimes previously offering details to pressreporters that might expose federalgovernment misbehavior.
“Holding a reporter in contempt for safeguarding a personal source has a deeply cooling impact on journalism,” Fox News stated in a declaration. “FOX News Media stays dedicated to safeguarding the rights of a complimentary press and flexibility of speech and thinks this choice must be appealed.”
A CBS representative stated the contempt order “should be worrying to all Americans who worth the function of the totallyfree press in our democracy and comprehend that dependence on personal sources is important to the objective of journalism.”
The source is being lookedfor by Yanping Chen, who has tooklegalactionagainst the federalgovernment over the leakage of information about the federal probe into declarations she made on migration types associated to work on a Chinese astronaut program.
Herridge, who was justrecently lai