 One reason why Donald Trump won his second presidential term – against the expectations of notable mainstream commentators and respected pollsters – is that a small, independent group of influencers and online conservative news outlets went around the mainstream media to keep Americans informed of the candidate’s policy responses to the failures of the Biden Administration. The 2024 election announced the arrival of the small, independent journalistic outfit, from Breitbart on the right to the streaming Young Turks show on the left. These independent voices have their slant on the news and their biases about candidates, but they have been effective in challenging the monolith of reporting from mainstream news organizations. Protecting this ecosystem of independent, pluralistic voices is one reason why soon-to-be President Trump should support the Protect Reporters from Exploitive State Spying (PRESS) Act. Without reporters relying on whistleblowers, we might never have learned about many recent scandals, ranging from the Fast and Furious gun-walking scandal under the Obama Administration to the IRS targeting of conservative non-profits under the direction of Lois Lerner, to the FBI’s highly politicized secret surveillance of Carter Page and the Trump campaign, to the truth behind the Hunter Biden laptop scandal. In each instance, brave whistleblowers came forward to set the record straight, often as sources for independent journalists. “If you cannot offer a source a promise of confidentiality as a journalist, your toolbox is empty,” celebrated investigative journalist Catherine Herridge told members of a House Judiciary subcommittee. “No whistleblower is coming forward, no government official with evidence of misconduct or corruption. And what that means is that it interrupts the free flow of information to the public ...” Herridge is currently fighting for her freedom in the face of a contempt charge regarding an investigative piece she did for Fox News concerning the possible penetration of U.S. higher education by Chinese intelligence. During the Obama administration, government lawyers also issued a search warrant for the emails of Fox News journalist James Rosen. Such aggressive legal tactics threaten to shut down the media’s ability to hold the federal government accountable. It is for reasons like these that Republicans supported the PRESS Act, which this year passed the House with the sponsorship of Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) and the enthusiastic support of conservatives such as House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), as well as with the bipartisan support of many House Democrats. The PRESS Act also has the support of Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Mike Lee (R-UT). Catherine Herridge can rely on the generosity of Fox News for supporting her defense in facing down contempt charges. But few independent outlets have such deep pockets. A federal prosecutor seeking their sources would force a blogger or small outlet to immediately decide whether to rat out whistleblowers or spend every last dollar of their savings mounting a defense in court and still possibly go to prison. President-elect Trump, supporting the PRESS Act in this Congress or the next would be a way for you to stand by the small, independent, online journalists and commentators who got your campaign appeals to the American people. To oppose the PRESS Act would be to score a goal for those who want to use this power to silence these voices. Comments are closed.
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