On Wednesday, Associated Press CEO Gary Pruitt told an audience at the National Press Club that the Justice Department had succeeded in silencing many of the sources that used to speak to the AP and other news outlets.“What I learned from our journalists should alarm everyone in this room and I think should alarm everyone in this country. The actions of the DOJ against AP are already having an impact beyond the specifics of this particular case.
“Some of our longtime trusted sources have become nervous and anxious about talking to us, even about stories that aren’t about national security. In some cases, government employees that we once checked in with regularly will no longer speak to us by phone, and some are reluctant to meet in person.
“I can tell you that this chilling effect is not just at AP, it’s happening at other news organizations as well. Journalists from other news organizations have personally told me it has intimidated sources from speaking to them.
“The government may love this. I suspect that they do. But beware the government that loves secrecy too much,” Pruitt said.
Cross posted at High Plains Pundit.



