Journalist Josh Wolf, who served a record 226 days in federal prison for defying a subpoena to turn over unaired video, has analyzed the House and Senate versions of a proposed shield law and writes on his new CNet blog:

“Although these subtle distinctions between the two bills may seem petty, the grim reality is that I would’ve been protected from having to turn over my raw materials, were the House bill to be made law, but the Senate bill would’ve provided absolutely no protection.”

Wolf goes on to discuss the likelihood that the final bill would be the stronger House version and concludes that unlikely, concluding “I may soon find myself in the unenviable position of opposing a law that is needed now more than ever.”

I oppose the federal shield law in part because the national press corps aided and abetted the anonymous sources who misled the nation into the Iraq War. (See my prior postings on shield law for a deeper analysis).  

For your future reading pleasure here are links to:

– The House bill;

– The Senate version.