Justice Department Declared Fox Reporter Possible “Co-Conspirator” In 2010 Investigation

President_Barack_Obama220px-Richard_NixonAs the scandal over the attack on the press continues in the Associated Press investigation, another such attack has come to light. The Obama Administration in 2010 investigated Fox News correspondent Jeff Rosen and the FBI treated him as “at the very least, either as an aider, abettor and/or co-conspirator” for merely speaking with a source. It was a perfectly Nixonian moment — yet another example of how Obama has adopted many of the same abuses as Richard Nixon. While journalists, public interest groups, and even Democratic members have denounced the attack on the media in the Associated Press investigation, Obama stepped forward to defend the investigation and praise the work of the Justice Department. He doubled down on those complaining about his Administration’s shocking record on whistleblowers and reporters by saying that he would make “no apologies” for the greatest attack on the media in decades.


Of course, Richard Nixon was denounced for using the Espionage Act of 1917 to target Daniel Ellsberg. Obama has brought twice the number of such prosecutions of all prior presidents under the Act. Holder was there to justify every attack on the media.

Like the AP, Rosen simply reported on leaked information and was treated as a potential criminal by the Obama Administration. A government adviser was accused of leaking information after a 2009 story was published online which said North Korea planned to respond to looming U.N. sanctions with another nuclear test. The Obama Administration obtained email records from Rosen and identified him as a possible co-conspirator in a court affidavit.

As with the terrorist plot story of the AP, this was a fairly standard story that clearly was going to be made public eventually. Indeed, in the AP story, the journalists held the story until getting the green light from the CIA. They were then told that the White House wanted to make the announcement of their successfully foiling an attack.

While some Democrats have voiced concern about these stories, the response from liberals and Democrats remains remarkable muted even after years of stories of the Obama Administration cracking down on journalists and whistleblowers. It is the same trade off that civil libertarians have been in other civil liberties controversies. Democrats have repeatedly remained silent in the face of such attacks by Obama in a type of cult of personality. We saw it with torture, warrantless surveillance, the kill list policy and other scandals. Now Obama is demanding that the faithful turn their back on the free press as their latest article of loyalty.

I will say it again. There will come a day when some else sits in the Oval Office and will demand the same sweeping authoritarian powers wielded by Obama. At that time, Democrats and liberals will not be able to step over the mountain of hypocrisy to utter a feeble, belated objection.

45 thoughts on “Justice Department Declared Fox Reporter Possible “Co-Conspirator” In 2010 Investigation”

  1. DOJ Seized Fox News Phone Records: New Yorker

    The Huffington Post | By Jack Mirkinson Posted: 05/21/2013 5:43 pm EDT | Updated: 05/21/2013 6:09 pm EDT

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/doj-fox-news-phone-records_n_3315167.html

    ——-

    May 21, 2013
    The Justice Department and Fox News’s Phone Records
    Posted by Ryan Lizza

    http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/05/the-justice-department-and-fox-newss-phone-records.html?mobify=0

  2. SM:

    I cannot figure it out for the life of me.

    The building codes apply to all medical surgery centers. I had some minor out patient surgery last year and was talking to the surgeon about his huge operating room and he said it was a state building code. It seemed a bit ridiculous because they were huge and you could have fit at least 3 and possibly 4 of his units in one of these rooms.

    All surgery centers must be fully equiped.

  3. It is time for Obama to follow Nixons footsteps out the door by either resignation or removed. He is unfit to be president.

  4. The only way to stop this continued rise in executive power is to take away some of that power. I have said it before and as NonnyO said earlier, repeal the AUMF and get rid of the Patriot Act. Without those over reaches of executive power, future Presidents will continue to increase their power.

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