Senator Chuck Schumer Got A Call From The White House

The Obama Administration is calling on the Democratic senator to reintroduce his "Free Flow of Information Act" to protect journalists from governmental intrusion on their investigations. The President previously opposed the legislation, saying it posed a threat to national security, but it appears the administration is reconsidering, after the Justice Department secretly obtained Associated Press phone records. According to Senator Schumer, his bill may not have prevented the AP's phone records from being obtained, "but it might have reduced the chances that the Justice Department would have demanded the records in secret." The Free Flow of Information Act may not be perfect, but it would provide some much-needed protections for journalists, and it would require government officials to provide a legitimate reason to a judge, for infringing on the freedom of the press. Hopefully, Senator Schumer's bill can overcome a Republican filibuster. Stay tuned.