Catherine Herridge Rips CBS News: Seizing My Reporting Records Crossed a Red Line that Should Never Be Crossed Again

HERRIDGE If confidential sources ░░░░░░░░ not protected I fear ░░░░░░░░ journalism is dead Each ░░░░░░░░ I feel the weight ░░░░░░░░ that responsibility As you ░░░░░░░░ I was held in ░░░░░░░░ of court for upholding ░░░░░░░░ basic journalistic principle of ░░░░░░░░ the pledge of confidentiality ░░░░░░░░ my sources I have ░░░░░░░░ respect for the federal ░░░░░░░░ and the judicial process ░░░░░░░░ I m not here ░░░░░░░░ litigate the case It ░░░░░░░░ play out before the ░░░░░░░░ court in Washington D ░░░░░░░░ But the fact that ░░░░░░░░ had been fighting in ░░░░░░░░ courts for two years ░░░░░░░░ that I am now ░░░░░░░░ potentially crippling fines of ░░░░░░░░ a day to protect ░░░░░░░░ reporting sources underscores the ░░░░░░░░ importance of the Press ░░░░░░░░ When you go through ░░░░░░░░ life events as I ░░░░░░░░ in recent weeks losing ░░░░░░░░ job losing your company ░░░░░░░░ insurance having your reporting ░░░░░░░░ seized by your former ░░░░░░░░ and being held in ░░░░░░░░ of court gives you ░░░░░░░░ The First Amendment the ░░░░░░░░ of confidential sources and ░░░░░░░░ free press are my ░░░░░░░░ principles They are my ░░░░░░░░ Star When I was ░░░░░░░░ off in February an ░░░░░░░░ reinforced in my mind ░░░░░░░░ importance of protecting confidential ░░░░░░░░ CBS News locked me ░░░░░░░░ of the building and ░░░░░░░░ hundreds of pages of ░░░░░░░░ reporting files including confidential ░░░░░░░░ information Multiple sources said ░░░░░░░░ were concerned that by ░░░░░░░░ with me to expose ░░░░░░░░ corruption and misconduct they ░░░░░░░░ be identified and exposed ░░░░░░░░ pushed back and with ░░░░░░░░ public support of my ░░░░░░░░ SAG AFTRA the records ░░░░░░░░ returned CBS News s ░░░░░░░░ to reseize my reporting ░░░░░░░░ crossed a red line ░░░░░░░░ I believe should never ░░░░░░░░ crossed again by any ░░░░░░░░ organization in the future ░░░░░░░░ litigation and being held ░░░░░░░░ contempt have taken a ░░░░░░░░ on me and my ░░░░░░░░ This is not a ░░░░░░░░ you can fight alone ░░░░░░░░ am grateful for the ░░░░░░░░ of fellow journalists and ░░░░░░░░ First Amendment organizations including ░░░░░░░░ Reporters Committee for Press ░░░░░░░░ the Freedom of the ░░░░░░░░ Foundation the Coalition for ░░░░░░░░ in Journalism the Knight ░░░░░░░░ Amendment Institute the Society ░░░░░░░░ Professional Journalists as well ░░░░░░░░ the Columbia Journalism School ░░░░░░░░ which I am a ░░░░░░░░ I have also been ░░░░░░░░ to have the support ░░░░░░░░ my former employer as ░░░░░░░░ continue to fight this ░░░░░░░░ Not many journalists could ░░░░░░░░ on a former employer ░░░░░░░░ this case Fox News ░░░░░░░░ support a costly and ░░░░░░░░ defense of the First ░░░░░░░░ That is why the ░░░░░░░░ Act comes at the ░░░░░░░░ time when independent journalism ░░░░░░░░ news platforms are expanding ░░░░░░░░ for reporting diverse voices ░░░░░░░░ strengthen our democracy I ░░░░░░░░ I joined many journalists ░░░░░░░░ are encouraged by the ░░░░░░░░ comments of the Senate ░░░░░░░░ Leader Chuck Schumer who ░░░░░░░░ he hopes to have ░░░░░░░░ legislation through the Senate ░░░░░░░░ on the president s ░░░░░░░░ this year I deeply ░░░░░░░░ the committee s commitment ░░░░░░░░ this legislation and holding ░░░░░░░░ public hearing. Thank you.”