Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Is Overseeing A Revision Of The Justice Department’s Guidelines Regarding How Investigators Can Obtain Records From Members Of The Media, With A Particular Focus On Leaks, According To The Hill’s John Solomon.
The proposed revision, in which Rosenstein assumed a larger role after Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ November departure, included a watered-down threshold for DOJ prosecutors to meet before subpoenaing a journalist’s records. The new guidelines, if approved, would allow the department to issue a subpoena without first notifying the reporter’s news organization of its intent to obtain documents, the report states.
Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker has reportedly voiced concerns about the plan in the last few weeks, worrying the rule changes could attract negative headlines as President Donald Trump is locked in negotiations to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. “After a lengthy period of turmoil and regular criticism from President Trump, DOJ has enjoyed a period of calm normalcy that has put employees’ focus back on their work and not the next tweet. Matt doesn’t want to disrupt that unless a strong legal case can be made,” one source told Solomon.
In August, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced his agency was “reviewing” media subpoena policies for reporters who cite anonymous sources in leaking classified information. Sessions, flanked by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, said at the news conference that federal law enforcement agencies would ramp up efforts to stem the tide of information leaks emanating from within the Trump administration, revealing the DOJ had tripled the number of leak investigations since the president took office. – READ MORE