WND TV New-media pioneer Matt Drudge called Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a “fascist” after she suggested only “real reporters” deserved protection under a new media-shield law.
“Comments from Sen. Feinstein yesterday on who’s a reporter were disgusting,” Drudge tweeted, adding that a “17-year old ‘blogger’ is as important as Wolf Blitzer.”
“Fascist!” he declared.
Drudge, the owner and operator of the most successful news site on the Internet, took to Twitter to defend bloggers and to hammer the senator.
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a measure late Thursday that would establish a federal shield law for reporters or journalists in the United States.
“I can’t support it if everyone who has a blog has a special privilege … or if Edward Snowden were to sit down and write this stuff, he would have a privilege. I’m not going to go there,” said Feinstein during the committee meeting.
The original amendment, as proposed by Feinstein, had limited the definition of a “journalist” to someone employed by or in contract with “an entity or service that disseminates news and information.”
Under that definition, a student working for a tiny college newspaper would get protection, but Drudge and his new-media brethren might not.
“The fundamental issue behind this amendment is, should this privilege apply to anyone, to a 17-year-old who drops out of high school, buys a website for five dollars and starts a blog? Or should it apply to journalists, to reporters, who have bona fide credentials?” Feinstein asked.
The legislation was amended, before passing out of committee, to define who would be a “covered journalist.” That definition had been an obstacle to broader legislation designed to “protect” reporters and the news media from having to reveal their sources.
Feinstein worked with Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., a chief proponent of the media-shield legislation, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., as well as representatives from news organizations, on the compromise.
The bill would protect reporters and news media organizations from being required to reveal the identities of confidential sources, but it does not grant an absolute privilege for journalists.
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., complained that the definition of a journalist was too broad.
Pushing back, Feinstein said the intent was to set up a test to determine a bona fide journalist.
“I think journalism has a certain tradecraft. It’s a profession. I recognize that everyone can think they’re a journalist,” Feinstein said.
The bill now on the Senate floor would define a journalist as someone employed by or in contract with a media outlet for at least one year within the last 20 years or three months within the last five years; someone with a substantial track record of freelancing in the last five years; or a student journalist. A federal judge also would have the discretion to declare an individual a “covered journalist,” who would be granted the privileges of the law.
Drudge pointed out that a federal judge once ruled that he was “not a reporter, a journalist, or a newsgatherer.”
“Millions of readers a day come for cooking recipes??!” he asked incredulously.
“Gov’t declaring who qualifies for freedom of press in digital age is ridiculous!” Drudge added. “It belongs to anyone for any reason. No amendment necessary.”
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/09/matt-drudge-eviscerates-facist-dianne-feinstein/#usurdsTC3ei5O74a.99
What this really does is provide cover for their paid, controlled and owned Presstitutes, while at the exact same time, provides a carte blanche excuse to go after anyone that doesn’t agree with them. All the big names have done this and still do this you know. Oh no, not the big names in entertainment, sports or anything like that, no. I’m talking about the Super Bowl of Tyranny.
When the American Government starts passing the same types of laws as the former Soviet Union, Maoist China, Nazi Germany and so many other corrupted societies, you know the end of this country is near. By the way, ALL tyrants justify their actions by passing them as laws. Just because you say so mister tyrant, doesn’t make it so. Your day of reckoning will come as it has for so many other tyrants in history. We will be taking our freedom back and abolishing you and your so called laws, which are nothing more than decrees in tyrannical, dictatorial despotism.
@JoeRepublic ,Well said!
This guy is a tag along.
Just recently he decided that he is libertarian rather than repub.
It is just the attention that the ideas of freedom many of which are directly related to being libertarian have gotten into the mainstream. It is a way for him to attract more people to his site and get oh whats that PAID.
So if you really were about freedom and liberty you would have realized long ago that both of those major parties were and are one in the same demons occupying dc.
Don’t think for one second that some of us don’t see through your bs attempting to gain more support for yourself from individuals who read the real news that being alternative media sites like FTTWR.
I use to check out the drudge report back in the late late 90’s early 00’s but migrated away to find other sources of information.
Of ALL the communists in this state, this POS b#tch is the one I’d most like to see (in person) hang.
Pelosi comes in at a very close second place.
This khazar ‘jew’ bitch should be hung.
She and the rest of her khazar ‘jew’ cohorts are a snapshot of what’s very wrong with america.
I know the enemy very well. Retribution will come.
-flek
The solution is to NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER VOTE FOR A JEW. NOT EVER.
Even ignoring the fact that voting period is a total fraud, the only choices (mostly) presented are either (so-called) ‘jews’, or crypto ‘jews’ (the ones that change their names to hide their fake ‘jewishness’).
We here at FTT prefer to NOT talk about voting for anything or anyone, to avoid giving even the slightest appearance of giving ANY legitimacy to the fraudulent voting scam.
You are correct #1. Voting, what a scam. They waste billions in the process to give us the illusion of having some say in policy.
Exactly, Millard.