"Garland Meets News Executives Over Leak Probe Tactics"

"News media advocates seek to make “durable” President Joe Biden’s pledge to stop subpoenaing reporters’ email and phone records."

"Attorney General Merrick Garland held a closed-door meeting on Monday with news media representatives who’ve expressed outrage about Justice Department leak investigations that used subpoenas aimed at reporters’ phone and email records.

Media executives spent about 90 minutes in dialogue with Garland and his top aides and advisers. The aim was to get more details made public about the investigations and court submissions that led to efforts under the Trump administration to seize records related to journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN.

Despite outcry from the news media about the prosecutors’ tactics, the meeting’s atmosphere was positive because of unprecedented commitments from President Joe Biden and Garland to halt the practice of pursuing leaks by digging into journalists’ phone or email contacts, according to an attendee who served as a spokesperson for the participants."

Josh Gerstein reports for Politico June 14, 2021.

SEE ALSO:

"Garland Says Justice Department Will Strengthen Policies For Obtaining Lawmakers’ Records" (Washington Post)

"Democrats Demand Testimony From Trump's Attorneys General As Media Executives Seek Answers" (CNN)

"Media Leaders Met With Merrick Garland To Discuss Secret Leak Investigations" (NPR)

"News Executives Protest Trump-Era Probe With Garland" (AP)

Source: Politico, 06/15/2021