NYT Subpoena Fight

A judge forced the Trump DOJ to drop subpoenas targeting New York Times reporters.

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DOJ Withdraws NY Times Subpoenas After Judge Notices It Never Bothered To Follow The Rules For Subpoenaing Reporters

Trump defends DOJ subpoenas of NY Times reporters; Google also was targeted

Judge rebuffs Trump admin demand for phone records from NYT reporters

Summary

A neutral summary of the key facts most outlets agree on, drawn from reporting across the political spectrum.

The Justice Department withdrew subpoenas for New York Times reporters’ phone records and grand jury testimony after U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian questioned prosecutors about whether they had followed rules for compelling journalist records. The subpoenas were tied to a criminal investigation into a leak about security concerns involving President Donald Trump’s planned Air Force One jet donated by Qatar. Subramanian said reporter subpoenas should be a last step and faulted the government for acting before exhausting other investigative options. Trump defended the subpoenas on Friday, and Google also received one.

The Coverage

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What the analysis & opinion pieces argue

Improper subpoenas

The Trump Justice Department unlawfully pursued subpoenas aimed at forcing New York Times reporters to reveal their sources. The lawyers behind those efforts, including senior officials such as Todd Blanche and Jay Clayton, should face professional accountability for violating rules and retaliating against the press.