US Attorney General vs. the First Amendment

Read the NYT article.

The way that this reads in the NYT is that first and foremost responsibility of US Government is to prosecute criminal offenders. The problem is, the release of "sensitive" materials by the press is in the pursuit of justice that cannot be obtained any other way. Especially where those being brought to justice are within US Government body.

The release of information for public consumption, sometimes a threat to the nebulous notion of "national security," opens a Pandora's Box for the Administration, especially this Administration. The corruption rife within the Bush Adminstration has only begun to be uncovered. Indictments are piling high and the conduct of officials is under scrutiny. As such, the remarks of the Attorney General are not unexpected. However, a consequent crackdown on freedom of speech would certainly be a step backward for US.

"'... it can't be the case that that right trumps over the right that Americans would like to see, the ability of the federal government to go after criminal activity' he said. 'And so those two principles have to be accommodated.'"

It was well put by Hemos on Slashdot: So our 1st amendment rights don't trump the right of the federal government to violate them?