FREE PRESS AND POLITICS
The Battle for Press Freedom: A Clash of Politics and Principles
The U.S. Senate GOP’s Blockade of the PRESS Act and Its Implications
The United States Senate recently failed to pass the PRESS Act, which would have banned the bill, allowing journalists to stay anonymous, as well as limit the seizures of journalist data without their knowledge. Shaken by the former President Donald Trump’s opposition, the decision has kicked up a firestorm of controversy over the place of the press in legislative processes, national security and political influence.
Freedom of the Press
At the root of this problem is the tenet of freedom of the press. The PRESS Act was an attempt to protect journalists from retaliation or coercion as they did their job. An independent press free from corruption and without commercial influence is an essential element of a working democracy, to check on power and to inform people. The Senate GOP has raised concerns that this bill would block this kind of freedom, and would set off a chilling effect on investigative journalism.
National Security Concerns
One of the bill’s opponents, Senator Tom Cotton, claims it could weaken national security by…
