Feds Mull Charges in ABC News Probe

Thursday, September 11, 2003

(3:00 AM ET)

By John Solomon

Associated Press Writer

“When the media are involved, I would urge that significant caution must be used by the federal government to ensure that legitimate reporting is not chilled. While embarrassed government bureaucrats may not think so, the country benefits from government mismanagement being exposed.”

[ ... ]

As for why the package of depleted uranium was never opened and stopped at the border, Murphy said the screening system actually worked fine because depleted uranium is harmless and not intended to be stopped.

Attorney General John Ashcroft speaks to law enforcement personnel about the USA Patriot Act at New York's Federal Hall Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2003.

Image Credit: Frank Franklin II -- AP

WASHINGTON -- AP
In a clash between security and the First Amendment, federal authorities are threatening criminal charges against ABC News reporters who smuggled harmless depleted uranium into the country for a second time during an investigation of border inspections.

ABC News said Wednesday it believed its actions constituted legitimate investigative journalism that highlighted U.S. anti-terror security on the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

“In our view, we do not believe we are in violation of the law because it was not our intent to defraud the U.S. government, to smuggle in contraband or to avoid duties,” ABC News Vice President Jeffrey Schneider said. “It was to test the system.”

The report by investigative correspondent Brian Ross and his producers was scheduled to air Thursday.

Law enforcement officials said the effort by the reporters to smuggle about 15 pounds of depleted uranium into Los Angeles from Jakarta, Indonesia, appeared to violate laws, including falsely declaring the contents of the package.

“We believe ABC News may have broken the law, and we are pursuing the appropriate course of action,” Homeland Security Department spokesman Dennis Murphy said. “It is a question whether or not journalists should be breaking the law in the pursuit of a news story. It's not right for a reporter to rob a bank to prove the bank has lax security.”

(More: Netscape Network News)
2003 © The Associated Press.

On the Net:
* Homeland Security Department

Dan