I like Richard Lugar because he is always putting forth new ideas to push government forward.
He introduced the Free Flow of Information of Act into the Senate last Thursday. Lugar and Representative Mike Pence from Indiana (Pence introduced similar legislation in the House) met on Wednesday. The meeting with Pence caused Lugar to become interested. This legislation proposes that under federal law reporters would be protected from being compelled to testify or disclose sources and information in court. Some feel that a law would restore reporters' confidence that they can continue to pledge and uphold confidentiality of the sources they have in federal and state courts. The act would follow Dept. of Justice guidelines for issuing a subpoena to members of the news media. Restated, the act says that no employee of the judicial, legislative, or executive branches of government who has the power to issue a subpoena will be allowed to compel any reporter, broadcaster, or author who puts information out in the newspaper, books, or magazines or over the airwaves to disclose the identity of that source of information.
Pence says, "almost a dozen reporters were served or threatened with jail sentences in at least three different federal jurisdictions for refusing to reveal confidential sources."
Lugar says, "It is important that we ensure reporters certain rights and abilities to seek sources and report appropriate information without fear of intimidation or imprisonment."
I agree with Lugar and support Lugar's and Pence's push for this legislation to go into effect. Nobody should be afraid to report a story because they feel they are endangered.
