The Trump administration sought phone records of New York Times journalists. The records sought also included those of the journalists' spouses and parents.
The purpose of the effort, was to unmask confidential sources for reporting on President Trump's Air Force One jet, which was a gift from Qatar. Other sources refer to the reporting on Air Force One generally.
The government's action was characterized as 'extraordinarily aggressive'.
— Single source
The New York Times asked a judge to quash the subpoenas.
The leak probe is being led by Wiles and Patel at the White House. The Department of Justice was involved in seeking the records, according to another single source.
Updates
Unsealed court documents reveal that the Trump administration's efforts to obtain journalists' phone records were more expansive than initially reported, covering a period that extended well beyond the publication dates of the articles. The administration reportedly sought the identity of confidential sources long before the reporting was published. In response to the subpoenas, the New York Times filed a motion to quash them, leading the Department of Justice to pause the requests while conceding significant procedural errors.
The Department of Justice has paused subpoenas for New York Times journalists' phone records after conceding major errors in their efforts, which have now been revealed as more expansive than previously known. Newly unsealed motions indicate the administration sought these identities long before the relevant reports on the Air Force One jet were published, covering a time frame that exceeded the articles' publication dates. Meanwhile, the newspaper has filed a motion to quash the subpoenas, preparing to argue that the White House is abusing the justice system to intimidate reporters.
Unsealed court documents reveal that the Trump administration's efforts to obtain journalists' phone records were more expansive than previously disclosed, extending beyond the publication dates of the articles and targeting confidential sources long before the Air Force One report was written. The Department of Justice has since paused these subpoenas, acknowledging significant procedural errors, while the New York Times has filed a motion to quash the requests. Additionally, the ongoing leak investigation led by Wiles and Patel has resulted in White House officials being required to surrender their phones.
The Department of Justice has officially withdrawn the subpoenas that would have compelled three New York Times reporters to testify about their sources, while admitting to legal errors in the process. Newly unsealed documents reveal that the government's efforts to identify confidential sources began well before the publication of the articles and extended beyond the timeframe of the reporting. Additionally, officials were reportedly instructed to surrender their phones during a leak probe, and it has been disclosed that the administration's surveillance efforts included attempts to access the communications records of journalists' family members.
The Department of Justice has officially withdrawn the subpoenas issued by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton that targeted New York Times journalists and their family members. Admitting to legal errors and describing the government's handling of the matter as "sloppy legal work," officials conceded that the efforts were overly expansive and exceeded the scope of the relevant reporting. The New York Times had previously filed a motion to quash these subpoenas, which federal authorities have now abandoned following judicial scrutiny regarding potential First Amendment violations.
The Department of Justice officially confirmed on Thursday that it will withdraw the subpoenas seeking the communication records of New York Times journalists and their family members. During a Manhattan courtroom hearing, Judge Arun Subramanian criticized the government's handling of the case as 'sloppy legal work,' noting that subpoenas should be a last resort rather than an initial step. The government admitted to legal errors in the process, which were initiated by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton on July 10, and acknowledged the probe’s scope extended well beyond the publication dates of the articles in question.
The Justice Department officially announced it will withdraw the subpoenas directed at New York Times journalists following judicial criticism of the government's "sloppy legal work." Judge Arun Subramanian questioned the handling of the case, noting that subpoenas should be a last resort rather than a first step to protect First Amendment rights. While the government admits to legal errors and has paused its efforts, it maintains that the investigation into potential national security leaks remains ongoing.
The Department of Justice has officially withdrawn the subpoenas issued to New York Times journalists on July 10, following intense judicial scrutiny by Judge Arun Subramanian, who criticized the government's handling of the process as 'sloppy legal work.' While the DOJ admitted to legal errors in the issuance of the subpoenas and conceded to major failures, it maintains that the underlying investigation into potential leaks regarding the President's Qatari-gifted Air Force One remains ongoing. The government had previously attempted to hold the subpoenas for two weeks before conceding under the threat of court-imposed sanctions.
The Department of Justice has officially agreed to withdraw the subpoenas issued to three reporters after admitting to legal errors and 'sloppy' handling of the process. Court filings revealed that the administration sought these records long before the relevant articles were published and had expanded its investigative scope to include the communication records of reporters' family members. While the government maintains that the leak investigation into the reporting on the jet is ongoing, it conceded that the subpoenas were issued prematurely, leading a federal judge to emphasize that such legal actions should be a last resort.
The Department of Justice has officially agreed to withdraw the subpoenas issued to three reporters after a federal judge criticized the government's handling of the matter as "sloppy legal work." Government officials admitted to legal errors in the process and confirmed that the investigation into the alleged leaks remains ongoing. While the administration previously claimed the reporting presented substantial national security concerns, the DOJ faced significant pushback for seeking communications records that included members of reporters' families and delivering subpoenas directly to journalists' homes.
The Department of Justice has officially agreed to withdraw the subpoenas targeting New York Times journalists following a federal judge's criticism of the government's 'sloppy legal work.' Previously, investigators had sought grand jury testimony and records from reporters and their family members, in some instances delivering subpoenas directly to private homes. While the administration maintained the original probe was prompted by security concerns regarding the Air Force One jet, the government admitted to significant legal errors and confirmed it will not pursue testimony or document production during the current hold period.
The Department of Justice has officially agreed to withdraw subpoenas that sought to compel testimony and communications records from three reporters regarding their coverage of the presidential jet, admitting to significant legal errors in the process. A federal judge previously criticized the government's handling of these requests as 'sloppy legal work,' noting that such actions should be a last resort rather than a first step. While the administration maintained that the reporting presented national security concerns, the government confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing despite the withdrawal of these specific subpoenas.
The Department of Justice has officially withdrawn the subpoenas issued to three reporters after admitting to significant legal errors and "sloppy legal work" in their handling. Prosecutors conceded that the government's efforts to identify confidential sources were overly expansive, covering periods beyond the relevant publication dates. While the investigation remains ongoing, a judge previously criticized the government for failing to exhaust alternative investigative steps before delivering subpoenas to the reporters' homes.
The Department of Justice has agreed to withdraw subpoenas issued to New York Times reporters seeking their confidential sources regarding Air Force One jet reporting, following a judge's criticism of the government's handling of the case as sloppy legal work. Unsealed documents revealed that the administration's efforts to obtain these records began long before the articles were published and were more expansive than previously known, even targeting communications records of journalists' family members. While the government maintains that the original reporting posed national security concerns, it conceded to legal errors in the process and halted its attempts to compel testimony from the reporters.
