Fired CBS Journalist Catherine Herridge Goes to Jail Rather Than Reveal Her Source

[Geee]

PJ Media

Former Fox News and CBS News investigative journalist Catherine Herridge was held in contempt of court and ordered to jail and pay $800 a day until she revealed her source in a libel suit involving a Chinese American professor.

 

CBS News fired Herridge in February, reportedly as part of an effort by the network to reorganize the news division. Herridge's confidential files—including information on her confidential sources—were seized along with notes and other materials, raising suspicions about ulterior motives.

At the time of her firing, Herridge had been working on several stories involving Biden administration scandals, and the speculation is that this, rather than corporate downsizing, was the reason for firing her.

Now, she's landed in jail. Her 2017 story of the Chinese-American scientist, Yanping Chen, dealt with an FBI investigation of the scientist for her ties to Communist China. 

U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper ruled that Herridge violated his court order from August demanding that Herridge reveal the source who told her that the FBI was investigating Chen.

[Geee]

Democracy Dies in Darkness As Blaze Journalist Is Arrested by the Feds

At 7:00 local time Friday morning, Blaze reporter Steve Baker turned himself in to the Dallas field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for arraignment. He then faced a federal magistrate. According to the Blaze, Baker received instructions to come to the office wearing shorts and flip-flops to make it easier for agents to place him in an orange jumpsuit, cuffs, and leg shackles. At the time of his arrest, Baker or his attorney weren't aware of the specific misdemeanor charges against him. Baker claims that the DOJ feared that he might post them on X. 

What did Baker do to find himself under arrest? Ostensibly, he went into the Capitol building on January 6. He was there not as a rioter but as a member of the press. Around 60 other journalists were there with him because, as a reporter, you go where the story is, and the story was inside the Capitol. 

Baker did not destroy anything, and he did not steal anything. He did not chant, sing, or make a speech. He did what reporters are supposed to do. He recorded the facts, and there is video evidence to back this up. The other reporters from various news outlets haven't been charged. :snip:

[Valin]

2 hours ago, Geee said:

Democracy Dies in Darkness As Blaze Journalist Is Arrested by the Feds

 Steve Baker joins history's long parade of political repression

We have many examples of political repression, and none are remembered warmly.
Chris Bray
March 01, 2024

A personal note to Steve Baker: Remember Matthew Lyon.

Lyon, a congressman, was prosecuted by the John Adams administration for violating the Sedition Act — which he did by fiercely criticizing the Adams administration. When he was dubiously convicted, the federal marshal who took him to prison made a show of it, dragging him around town to let people see an enemy of the government reduced to the condition of a prisoner. Criminal justice was political theater, and not by accident. You can read a detailed description of Lyon's ordeal here or a shorter one here.

The lawyer and former congressman Clement Vallandigham was arrested by soldiers and tried by a military court for (among other things) calling Abraham Lincoln a tyrannical king who had usurped power by unilaterally suspending the right of habeas corpus during the Civil War.

 

The administration of Woodrow Wilson shut down dozens of newspapers and magazines for criticizing American participation in World War I and questioning the use of conscription, while the socialists Charles Schenck and Elizabeth Baer were prosecuted for distributing leaflets that encouraged men to resist the draft.

From time to time throughout our history, the federal government arrests people for saying things the government doesn't like. It’s a tradition, like beer luge or bad cover bands.

Steve Baker is about to get the Late Federalist shaming parade for covering the January 6 protest as an independent journalist. As he recently wrote, his arrest on Friday is being stage-managed for optics: "The prosecutor informed my attorney that I am to arrive at the @FBI field office wearing 'shorts and sandals. …' Rather than issuing a simple order to appear, they seem to feel the need to give me a dose of the personal humiliation treatment."

Like Matthew Lyon, Steve Baker is getting a political perp walk from the government, in a ritual designed to demean a critic.

(Snip)