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Holder Defends Justice Department in Seizure of Journalists’ Records | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Tuesday fielded questions about the seizure of telephone records from reporters and editors at The Associated Press, which apparently came in connection with an investigation of leaks inside the executive branch. | |
Mr. Holder said that the leak in question — the revelation by The A.P. of a foiled terrorist plot by Al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen a year ago — was among the two or three most serious leaks he had seen since the 1970s. “It put the American people at risk,” he said, without elaborating. | |
Mr. Holder said that he had recused himself last year from the leak investigation and therefore had not made the decision to seek sweeping subpoenas for two months of call records for 20 telephone lines used by The A.P. and its journalists. He said he decided to turn over supervision of leak inquiries to his deputy, James M. Cole, “to make sure that this investigation was seen as independent” after F.B.I. agents interviewed him about leaks in June 2012. | Mr. Holder said that he had recused himself last year from the leak investigation and therefore had not made the decision to seek sweeping subpoenas for two months of call records for 20 telephone lines used by The A.P. and its journalists. He said he decided to turn over supervision of leak inquiries to his deputy, James M. Cole, “to make sure that this investigation was seen as independent” after F.B.I. agents interviewed him about leaks in June 2012. |
Mr. Holder said he was confident that his subordinates had sought the subpoenas in accord with Justice Department regulations. Members of Congress and press advocates have expressed concern about the subpoenas, revealed on Monday by The A.P., as a dangerously broad incursion into the ability of the news media to operate without government scrutiny and a violation of press freedom. | Mr. Holder said he was confident that his subordinates had sought the subpoenas in accord with Justice Department regulations. Members of Congress and press advocates have expressed concern about the subpoenas, revealed on Monday by The A.P., as a dangerously broad incursion into the ability of the news media to operate without government scrutiny and a violation of press freedom. |
Mr. Holder declined to say whether he had also recused himself from a separate investigation of unauthorized disclosures to The New York Times about American cyberattacks on Iran’s nuclear program. | Mr. Holder declined to say whether he had also recused himself from a separate investigation of unauthorized disclosures to The New York Times about American cyberattacks on Iran’s nuclear program. |
The leak about the Yemen plot is being investigated by the United States attorney for the District of Columbia, Ronald C. Machen Jr., and the disclosures about the cyberattacks on Iran are being examined by the United States attorney for Maryland, Rod J. Rosenstein. | The leak about the Yemen plot is being investigated by the United States attorney for the District of Columbia, Ronald C. Machen Jr., and the disclosures about the cyberattacks on Iran are being examined by the United States attorney for Maryland, Rod J. Rosenstein. |
The White House deflected questions during its own press briefing Tuesday. The press secretary, Jay Carney, said he could not comment on the Justice Department’s actions amid the continuing investigation. | |
Mark Landler contributed reporting. | Mark Landler contributed reporting. |