Attorney General Eric Holder will not force a New York Times reporter to reveal the identity of a confidential source, the latest wrinkle in a leak investigation that critics contend showcases the Obama administration’s hostility towards reporters.
A source familiar with the investigation confirmed to the Washington Examiner that reporter James Risen would not be compelled to reveal a confidential source in a story that claimed the Central Intelligence Agency had tried to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program.
A federal judge had given prosecutors until Tuesday to decide whether to force Risen to name his source.
Risen could still be called to testify in the case against former CIA official Jeffrey Sterling — accused of leaking information — next month, but he would not be required to out his source.
In addition to the Justice Department’s monitoring of Associated Press reporters, the Risen episode put the Obama White House on the defensive for its commitment to freedoms of the press.
The Holder Justice Department has conducted more leak investigations than during any other administration in history.
Facing widespread backlash, Holder has since tightened the rules for demanding a journalist’s materials.
