Senators press top Justice Department officials on decision to subpoena New York Times reporters
Senate Democrats questioned top Justice Department nominees Jay Clayton and Todd Blanche regarding their decision to subpoena five New York Times reporters over a leak investigation. The subpoenas, which seek testimony regarding a report on security flaws in the new Air Force One, have been condemned by the Times as a retaliatory abuse of power.
Why it matters
The case highlights a significant tension between national security leak investigations and First Amendment protections for journalists, setting a potential precedent for how the government interacts with the press.
Jay Clayton, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, was asked about subpoenas issued to New York Times journalists. Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images Senate Democrats asked top DOJ officials about why they subpoenaed journalists. The Justice Department issued the subpoenas as part of a leak investigation. The subpoenas were signed by Jay Clayton, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan. In two separate Capitol Hill hearings on Wednesday, senators pressed top Justice Department officials on a decision to subpoena New York Times journalists over a story about security flaws in President Donald Trump's new Air Force One plane. Senators on the Intelligence Committee questioned Jay Clayton — the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan and President Donald Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence — about what Sen. Ron Wyden termed a "flagrant attack" on journalists.
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