Catherine Herridge Criticizes CBS During Congressional Testimony | louder.news

The fired CBS reported that Catherine Herridge broke her silence when she spoke before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday.

Herridge was speaking in favor of the PRESS Act, which would protect journalists and their confidential sources from forced disclosure, as happened to her. In February, a judge held Herridge in civil contempt for refusing to release a source, which carries an $800-a-day fine until she complies (though it doesn't take effect immediately to give her time to an appeal).

While arguing for the PRESS Act, Herridge exposed the shady behavior of CBS after his firing, which they presented as simple layoffs.

When I was fired in February, an incident reinforced to me the importance of protecting confidential sources. CBS News locked me out of the building and seized hundreds of pages of my reporting files, including confidential information from sources. Several sources said they were concerned that by working with me to expose government corruption and misconduct, they would be identified and exposed.

I pushed back and with the public support of my union, SAG-AFTRA, the records were returned. CBS News' decision to seize my reporting records crossed a red line that I believe no media organization should ever cross. The litigation, and being held in contempt, has taken its toll

Speaking to Jim Jordan under questioning, Herridge added, “When Walter Cronkite's network gets hold of your reporting files, including information from confidential sources, that's an attack on investigative journalism,” comparing the seizure of their files with a “journalistic violation”.

“I just want to be clear, Congressman. Wherever you work, if this has happened to you, it's an attack on a free press. It's an attack on the First Amendment. It makes it harder for reporters to work in the future. It disrupts the free flow of information to the public,” Herridge said. “They say journalism is a profession for a reason, because it's about an informed electorate, and it's a cornerstone of our democracy. I can only speak for myself. When my records were seized, I felt it was a journalistic violation.”

Jordan replied; “That should scare us too. The first time it happened and it happens to an award-winning journalist who has been in this profession for many years, known throughout the profession, and this comes after what happened to Mrs Atkinson because both journalists were critical. of the government. That's exactly what… that's what journalism is all about, being critical of the government when the government does things wrong and then a major news organization or the government itself does this…