

Proposed Media Shield Law; US. Sen. Schumer: "no 1st Amend right to gather info" - cinquemb
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/schumer-senate-has-votes-media-shield-law

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mariodiana
The bill itself is in violation of the First Amendment, as it makes a
distinction between who is and who isn't a "journalist." The Supreme Court
ruled on this a long time ago:

> The liberty of the press is not confined to newspapers and periodicals. It
> necessarily embraces pamphlets and leaflets. These indeed have been historic
> weapons in the defense of liberty, as the pamphlets of Thomas Paine and
> others in our own history abundantly attest. The press, in its historic
> connotation, comprehends every sort of publication which affords a vehicle
> of information and opinion.

[Lovell v. City of Griffin - 303 U.S. 444
(1938)]([http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/303/444/case.html](http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/303/444/case.html))

This bill clearly makes a law abridging the freedom of the press, since a
portion of "the press"—namely, those receiving official sanction by government
as being the _real_ press—get special treatment.

This is dangerous law.

