Washington Post boasts it stared down ‘unwarranted’ Justice Department subpoena

The Washington Post boasted that the Justice Department planned to "force" reporters to testify before a federal grand jury but withdrew subpoenas after they were challenged by the paper. 

The Post published a Tuesday story citing "a Justice Department official familiar with the matter" that reporter Ellen Nakashima received a grand jury subpoena this spring "related to sensitive reporting about a national security matter."

The Post reported that the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper "was fighting the demand in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia in sealed proceedings when the government rescinded Nakashima's subpoena." The newspaper also reported that the "scope of the investigations that triggered the subpoenas are not clear" aside from being related to national security.

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"The unwarranted subpoena of our reporter Ellen Nakashima – a clear violation of constitutionally guaranteed press freedom – was another sign of the government seeking to compel journalists to become instruments of its investigations. We will continue to stand fully behind the journalism of The Washington Post and fight all efforts by any administration that violate our First Amendment rights," a Washington Post spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

The Post described Nakashima as "a veteran national security reporter who, during the Trump administration, has reported on the country’s most powerful intelligence officials, the Iran conflict and deadly U.S. military strikes on boats that officials alleged carried illegal drugs."

Executive Editor Matt Murray also addressed the ordeal with Post employees on Tuesday morning. 

"With the news out and the subpoena withdrawn, I want to reiterate our unwavering support for the First Amendment rights enshrined in our constitution, the legal protections afforded journalists, and our unblinking support of our journalists and press freedom.  I also want to thank our legal colleagues who have worked aggressively on behalf of Ellen and The Post," Murray wrote in a memo obtained by Fox News Digital. 

 "This institution stands behind each of you. It is in The Washington Post’s DNA to question, investigate, uncover and report," he continued. "That's why we're here and what we'll keep doing."

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The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The Post reported that three Wall Street Journal journalists who also report on national security also received subpoenas. 

"The Justice Department also withdrew the Wall Street Journal subpoenas, which the news organization had challenged in the same federal court, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss proceedings that are not public. None of the journalists testified before the grand jury, the official said," the Post reported. 

The WSJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

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