Justice Under Trump Collected Washington Post Calling Data | Abroad

The leak under investigation occurred at the beginning of Trump’s presidency. The Department of Justice, which also has the role of the US prosecutor, also sought to seize the email history of Washington Post reporters.

‘Abuse of power’

Journalists Ellen Nakashima, Greg Miller and former Washington Post journalist Adam Entous received a letter from the Justice Department on Monday informing them that the Department has their calling records from April 15, 2017 to July 31, 2017. This concerns the call history of home telephones, landline telephones at work and mobile telephones.

“We are deeply concerned by this use of government power to access journalists’ communications data,” said Cameron Barr, acting editor of the Washington Post. “The Department of Justice must immediately clarify its reasons for this violation in the activities of reporters who practice their trade under the protection of constitutional freedom of expression.”

To leak

News media and advocates of constitutional freedom of speech in the United States have long been critical of attempts by US governments to access journalists’ communications data to find leaks. According to critics, this would unfairly curtail the freedom of the press by governments.

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