Staff Reports
Judge Christopher Cooper, who was appointed by Barack Obama, ordered CBS News reporter Catherine Herridge to provide the FBI with the sources she used for stories about the agency's investigation of a scientist from China. Herridge, who used to work at Fox News, had relied on confidential information to inform the American people about important matters. Due to this ruling, Herridge is being forced to reveal her sources, which could put her and her colleagues' lives at risk.
Herridge and Fox News uncovered some disturbing details about the scientist, Yanping Chen, who is the president of a publicly-funded university. It is clear that she has been keeping her past a secret in order to continue working for the Chinese government and to provide information to them.
She's the wife of the university's dean, and this has raised questions about her conflict of interest. In 2012, the FBI raided the school, and yet, the government continued to fund it.
Legendary Ex-Fox News Reporter Gets Bad News In Courthttps://t.co/E5gafNs9W9
— Sheri™ (@FFT1776) August 7, 2023
Instead of worrying about the threat of foreign influence in our universities, Judge Cooper is more concerned about the privacy of Chen. According to him, the First Amendment doesn't protect Herridge's right to keep secret her sources. I believe that a free press plays a vital role in our democracy, and forcing journalists like Herridge to reveal their sources is putting a strain on the profession.
Despite the judge's comments about the scope of the subpoenas, he still allowed some of them to be used in Chen's case. This is a clear example of how the government is trying to suppress conservative journalists. In addition to trying to identify the leaker, Chen has also been trying to silence those who exposed her true intentions.
The American people are the losers in this situation. We should be aware of if our educational institutions are being used as a tool for foreign espionage. We should also have a free press that is protected from government interference. Unfortunately, rulings such as these are putting the rights of the people under attack.
Although I do not agree with the opinion of Rottman, I support Catherine Herridge's fight to protect her confidential sources. This ruling goes against the First Amendment and could put the future of investigative reporting in jeopardy. It's time for conservative groups to come together and fight against these kinds of attacks.
