Justice Dept. drops 'New York Times' subpoenas under pressure from judge

Media Justice Dept. drops 'New York Times' subpoenas under pressure from judge July 23, 202611:31 PM ET David Folkenflik "It's a great day for the First Amendment and a great day for the rule of law," New York Times attorney David McGraw said after the government agreed to withdraw the subpoenas of Times journalists. NurPhoto via Getty Images/NurPhoto hide caption toggle caption NurPhoto via Getty Images/NurPhoto The Justice Department is dropping the subpoenas it filed demanding grand jury testimony and phone records from New York Times journalists after sharp questioning Thursday from a federal judge who challenged almost every facet of the government's approach. The government had insisted that it was acting solely in the interest of national security. It filed subpoenas on July 10, just two days after the Times published the first of two stories about concerns that led to the U.S. Secret Service interceding to prevent President Trump from flying home from Turkey on the new Air Force One jet. Sponsor Message But at the hearing, presiding judge, U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian, made clear he believed the Trump administration had violated protections given to journalists in black and white to uphold First Amendment principles. He also pointed to several instances of what he considered slipshod legal work and threatened to levy sanctions against federal attorneys for failing to follow the law and misleading the court in signed filings. Media 'New York Times' alleges White House abuses legal system to intimidate reporters The case highlighted the Trump administration's ongoing assault on press rights and the free flow of information to the public. It also provided another glimpse of the White House's eagerness to assert an expansive definition of executive authority, as prosecutors argued the U.S. attorney general has the power to set aside legal protections for journalists when he deems necessary. Judge: One way or another, the subpoenas would be canceled...