WASHINGTON -- A federal judge found Washington Post reporter Walter Pincus in contempt Wednesday, saying the journalist must reveal his government sources for stories about the criminal investigation of nuclear scientist Wen Ho Lee.
U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer said that "in order to avoid a repetition of the Judith Miller imbroglio," Pincus must contact his sources to inform them of the court's order in case they wish to release him from his pledge of confidentiality.
Miller, a former New York Times reporter, served 85 days in jail for contempt in the CIA leak investigation, agreeing to talk only after she spoke by telephone with her source, former top White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.
The ruling is the latest example of court-ordered pressure on journalists to reveal their confidential sources.
Relying on anonymous sources, Pincus and reporters for other news organizations in 1999 identified Lee as the focus of a criminal investigation into the possible theft of nuclear secrets on behalf of China.
I think this case actually raises a lot more interesting questions than the Judith Miller case. Happy to hear arguments on the other side, but I just can't see what journalistic principles are being upheld if journalists are used to launder baseless smears (if this is indeed what happened) against average citizens who aren't in any way public figures.