Judge Protects Press Freedom at Pentagon

A federal judge just reminded the government that Americans deserve to know what's happening in their name.

Judge Paul Friedman ruled Friday that the Pentagon cannot enforce new policies that restricted which journalists could cover military operations. The policy had locked out reporters from major news outlets like The New York Times and The Associated Press while favoring others who agreed to new terms.

The judge didn't mince words. He wrote that the policy violated journalists' constitutional rights to free speech and due process, and that it gave the government "unbridled power to restrict speech."

The New York Times had sued the Defense Department in December after its reporters were told to either accept the new credentialing rules or lose access to the Pentagon entirely. Seven Times journalists walked out rather than agree.

Judge Friedman ordered the Pentagon to immediately restore their credentials. His ruling applies not just to the Times, but to all journalists affected by the policy.

Why This Inspires

The judge's decision shows that even in uncertain times, the principles that have protected America for nearly 250 years still hold strong.

"Americans deserve visibility into how their government is being run, and the actions the military is taking in their name and with their tax dollars," the Times said in a statement after the ruling. Lawyer Theodore Boutrous called it "a powerful rejection of the Pentagon's effort to impede freedom of the press."

Judge Friedman acknowledged that national security matters deeply. But he emphasized that the public needs "access to information from a variety of perspectives about what its government is doing."

The Pentagon now has one week to comply with the order and file a report showing they've restored access to all affected journalists.

One independent branch of government just protected the public's right to an independent press.