Sam Stein on ‘New York Times’ Subpoenas: W.H. Does Not Really Have Respect for the Right of a Free Press

EXCERPT:

STEIN: "And there was reports that they were looking for records from relatives, too, which is another step of intimidation that is shocking. And look, obviously, I’m happy that this got thrown out, but it got thrown out because they were idiotic about how they went about pursuing it. They’re supposed to use a subpoena of the reporters as a last resort. It's very clear that they didn’t, that it was their first resort. The judge was going to quash the subpoenas anyway, so they just took the ball and went home, the administration did, which doesn’t give me much — you know, I don’t feel great about that because it’s possible and perhaps even predictable that they might bring this whole thing back up once they go through some sort of performative leak investigation around this. I will note two things. One is that this is all happening with Donald Trump tonight, appearing at the dais of the makeup White House Correspondents Association Dinner. The entity that represents White House reporters, including some who were on that story, is holding an event honoring the First Amendment and Donald Trump will appear at that event. It’s fine. You can make the case that he should. He’s the president. You’re not honoring the guy. But this is an administration in the White House that does not really have respect for the right of a free press.”