Eric Holder: No reporters have been prosecuted under my watch, none will

In response to criticism of the Department of Justice's secret surveillance and seizure of records from reporters, Eric Holder will testify Thursday that no reporter has been or will be prosecuted for doing their job during his service as Attorney General.

"The Department has not prosecuted, and as long as I'm Attorney General, will not prosecute any reporter for doing his or her job," Holder will say at a Senate budget hearing Thursday morning, according to his prepared remarks. "With these guiding principles in mind, we are updating our internal guidelines to ensure that in every case the Department's actions are clear and consistent with our most sacred values."

Holder is set to appear before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science to discuss the Justice Department's FY 2014 budget proposed by President Barack Obama. But Holder's role as head of a department that has secretly surveilled reporters such as Fox News reporter James Rosen, and new reports Wednesday that administration has been secretly gathering phone records from Verizon customers are expected to factor prominently into questioning by members of Congress.

He faces criticism from Republicans over previous testimony he made before a House committee last month that he has never been involved in "potential prosecution of the press for the disclosure of material" even though media reports indicate the search warrant application for Rosen's private emails was approved "at the highest levels" of the Justice Department, including through "discussions" with Holder.

Holder plans Thursday to defend his review of the Justice Department's leak investigation policies-- which President Barack Obama directed Holder to undertake, citing a desire to protect the freedom of the press and amid concerns about a potential chilling effect this type of surveillance could have on journalism.

He plans to say that he appreciates "the opportunity to engage members of the media and national security professionals in this effort to improve our guidelines, policies and processes – and to renew the important conversation, that is as old as our Republic, about how to balance our security with our dearest civil liberties."

Holder last week invited multiple Washington bureau chiefs to meet with him to discuss the issue, but many refused due to the meetings' off the record status.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/eric-holder-no-reporters-prosecuted-under-watch-none-143720092.html