Justice Department Withdraws Subpoenas Targeting New York Times Reporters
The DOJ announced it will pull subpoenas seeking phone records and grand jury testimony from New York Times journalists covering the new Air Force One, after a judge questioned the department's handling of the requests.
The Justice Department said on Thursday it will withdraw subpoenas that sought phone records and grand jury testimony from New York Times journalists who reported on the security capabilities of President Trump’s new Qatari-built Air Force One aircraft.
"The government is prepared to unilaterally withdraw the subpoenas at this time," said Sean Buckley, a senior official in the Manhattan U.S. attorney's office, during a hearing in U.S. District Court.
The decision followed a hearing in which Judge Arun Subramanian questioned Justice Department lawyers for nearly an hour about the subpoenas, which the newspaper had moved to quash. The Times described the subpoenas as an attempt to intimidate its reporters.
Judge Subramanian noted that the Justice Department could issue new subpoenas in the future, provided it follows proper procedures.