The incident is one of a recent string of crackdowns on the press, and even though most recent cases have been dismissed or dropped, such actions could deter other reporters from pursuing important stories.
The First Amendment provides broad protections for journalists, not only as to what they publish, but also how they collect information. For instance, publishing leaked government documents is protected, even if the acts that provided journalists with these documents may be subject to criminal proceedings. In recent months, however, a couple of law enforcement agencies…