Justice Dept. Subpoenas Wall Street Journal in Leak Investigation

"The Wall Street Journal said on Monday that it had received subpoenas for the records of its reporters, an exceedingly rare move by federal prosecutors that prompted concerns the Trump administration is impinging on press freedom as it expands its efforts to investigate leaks of government secrets. The subpoenas, dated March 4, were issued in connection with a Feb. 23 article describing Pentagon officials' warnings to the president about the risks of a military campaign against Iran, The Journal reported."

"The subpoenas suggest the Trump administration's pursuit of leaks and critical reporting could be entering a more aggressive phase, guided by the president's fury over news coverage about internal deliberations regarding military strikes. While leak investigations into disclosures of classified information are common, subpoenas aimed at journalists are not, and First Amendment advocates say such demands represent dangerous attempts to chill and limit press freedom."

"Dow Jones, which publishes The Journal, said in a statement that the subpoenas issued to the paper and its reporters represent an attack on constitutionally protected newsgathering. We will vigorously oppose this effort to stifle and intimidate essential reporting. It was unclear if the paper had sought to quash the subpoenas."

"The inquiry into the origins of The Journal's reporting is one of multiple leak investigations being conducted by the U.S. attorney's office in the Eastern District of Virginia, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The district has long been a hub for criminal investigations into disclosures of classified information, because the Pentagon and C.I.A. headquarters are both in its jurisdiction."

Federal prosecutors issued subpoenas seeking records of Wall Street Journal reporters, a rare step that raised concerns about pressure on press freedom. The subpoenas were dated March 4 and related to a Feb. 23 report describing Pentagon officials’ warnings to the president about risks of a military campaign against Iran. The report appeared days before the president began a war against Iran. While investigations into classified leaks are common, subpoenas aimed at journalists are uncommon and First Amendment advocates warned they could chill newsgathering. Dow Jones said the subpoenas represent an attack on constitutionally protected reporting and vowed to oppose them. The Justice Department did not immediately comment, and it was unclear whether the paper sought to quash the subpoenas. The investigation is part of broader leak probes in the Eastern District of Virginia, a hub for classified-disclosure cases.

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