Justice Department withdrew subpoenas for Post, WSJ reporters
Why it matters: The clash tested press-freedom protections in a sealed national security investigation in federal court in Virginia.
The Justice Department withdrew grand jury subpoenas issued to Washington Post reporter Ellen Nakashima and three Wall Street Journal journalists after both news organizations challenged the demands in sealed federal court proceedings in the Eastern District of Virginia. The Post reported Tuesday that Nakashima received the subpoena this spring in connection with reporting tied to a national security matter, though the scope of the underlying investigations remains unclear. The paper called the subpoena unwarranted and argued it threatened First Amendment protections for journalists. The Journal reporters also had their subpoenas rescinded after contesting them in the same court, according to the Post.