An amendment by Congressman Alan Grayson protecting journalist from divulging their sources has made it into an appropriations bill. The amendment received bipartisan support.
Seventy-one Republicans voted for the amendment that prohibits the federal government from making journalists name their sources. It’s tucked into the Commerce, Science and Justice Committee Appropriations bill.
“Forty-nine states have these laws, they’re called shield laws. I wanted to make sure the federal government stepped up and did the same thing in order to protect journalism and to protect freedom,” said Grayson.”
Grayson said he’s now looking for allies in the Senate to get a similar amendment passed there.
Grayson reported for a Boston alt-weekly while attending Harvard, and said he couldn’t imagine being told to turn over his sources