{"id":2427846,"date":"2025-04-26T15:59:01","date_gmt":"2025-04-26T19:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bondi-rescinds-biden-era-policy-against-seeking-records-from-journalists-in-leak-investigations-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-04-26T16:02:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-26T20:02:25","slug":"bondi-rescinds-biden-era-policy-against-seeking-records-from-journalists-in-leak-investigations-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bondi-rescinds-biden-era-policy-against-seeking-records-from-journalists-in-leak-investigations-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Bondi rescinds Biden-era policy against seeking records from journalists in leak investigations &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbondi-rescinds-biden-era-policy-against-seeking-records-from-journalists-in-leak-investigations-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2427846&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced the revocation of a policy implemented during the Biden administration that restricted the Justice Department (DOJ) from obtaining records and testimony from journalists involved in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-doj-obtained-phone-records-of-ny-times-journalists\/\" title=\"Trump ... Obtained Phone Records of NY Times ...\">leak investigations<\/a>. This policy,established by former Attorney General Merrick Garland,aimed to prevent the DOJ from seizing media records except in rare situations,following previous controversies during the Trump administration,where the DOJ had obtained journalists&#8217; records.<\/p>\n<p>Bondi&#8217;s memo states that the previous policy had been &#8220;abused,&#8221; allowing officials to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-leaked-cnn-interview-rep-ocasio-cortez-says-she-thought-she-faced-rape-at-capitol-riot\/\" title=\"In Leaked CNN Interview, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Says She Thought She Faced Rape At Capitol Riot\">leak information<\/a> to media allies, which she described as undermining the rule of law and civil rights. While acknowledging the importance of a free press, Bondi emphasized that investigative techniques related to news gathering would now be considered as a last resort in necessary investigations. This change comes <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">amid ongoing concerns<\/a> regarding leaks within the new Trump administration and follows recent referrals for prosecution related to such leaks.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Bondi rescinds Biden-era policy against seeking records from journalists in leak investigations<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2106588\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Attorney General <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pam-bondi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Pam Bondi\">Pam Bondi<\/a> is revoking a Biden administration <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Pam Bondi\">Justice Department<\/a> policy that prevented the DOJ from seeking records and testimony from journalists in investigations surrounding leaks.<\/p>\n<p>The policy, which was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2021\/07\/19\/doj-merrick-garland-seizing-reporters-records\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"implemented\">implemented<\/a> under former Attorney General Merrick Garland, attempted to block the Justice Department from seizing records from reports and media outlets except in rare instances, after the first Trump administration obtained records of some journalists in a bid to stop leaks from within the administration.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3392376\/tiana-lowe-doescher-congress-take-power-district-judges\/\">Tiana Lowe Doescher calls on Congress to take power from district judges<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3391851\/mahmoud-khalil-arrest-warrant-department-of-homeland-security\/\">Trump administration didn&#8217;t have arrest warrant for Mahmoud Khalil, citing &#8216;flight risk&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3391888\/luigi-mangione-plea-not-guilty-federal-murder-stalking-charges\/\">Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cnn-even-admits-theres-still-no-evidence-capitol-officer-sicknick-was-killed-by-blunt-force-to-the-head-on-january-6th\/\" title=\"CNN Even Admits There\u2019s Still No Evidence Capitol Officer Sicknick Was Killed by Blunt Force to the Head on January 6th\">federal murder<\/a> and stalking charges in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Bondi <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2025\/04\/25\/justice-depatment-journalists-leaks-investigations-00311515\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">said the policy<\/a> had been &ldquo;abused,&rdquo; leading to officials engaging in politically-charged leaks to &ldquo;media allies.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>On Friday, Bondi issued a memo to DOJ staff rescinding the policy, according to a report from <em>Axios<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Federal government employees intentionally leaking sensitive information to the media undermines the ability of the Department of Justice to up hold the rule of law, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-democrats-propose-section-230-regulations\/\" title=\"Senate Democrats propose Section 230 regulations\">protect civil rights<\/a>, and keep America safe. This conduct is illegal and wrong, and it must stop,&rdquo; the memo said. &ldquo;Therefore, I have concluded that it is necessary to rescind Merrick Garland&rsquo;s policies precluding the Department of Justice from seeking records and compelling testimony from members of the news media in order to identify and punish the source of improper leaks.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Bondi acknowledged the importance of a &ldquo;free and independent press&rdquo; in her memo and said the new policy will &ldquo;recognize that investigative techniques relating to news gathering are an extraordinary measure to be deployed as a last resort when essential to a successful investigation or prosecution.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3390619\/lawmakers-pam-bondi-restore-office-on-violence-against-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"BIPARTISAN GROUP OF LAWMAKERS CALL ON BONDI TO FULLY RESTORE FUNDING FOR OFFICE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN\">BIPARTISAN GROUP OF LAWMAKERS CALL ON BONDI TO FULLY RESTORE FUNDING FOR OFFICE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The policy change comes as the new Trump administration is already dealing with leaking issues, and days after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DNIGabbard\/status\/1915150870255210774\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"referred\">referred<\/a> two intel officials to the Justice Department for prosecution for leaks to the media. Gabbard also promised a third criminal referral would be forthcoming for another alleged leaker.<\/p>\n<p>In December, a Justice Department inspector general <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3256197\/watchdog-admonishes-doj-subpoenaing-congressional-aides-reporters-private-records\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"raised concerns\">raised concerns<\/a> about conduct by the agency during the first Trump administration, specifically obtaining phone and email records of reporters during a 2017 investigation into leaks to the media.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2106588\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2106588\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bondi cancels Biden-era policy limiting DOJ&#8217;s access to journalist records<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2427847,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pam-bondi-attorney-general-speaking-april-2025.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3620,45543,5157,54135],"class_list":["post-2427846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-biden","tag-bondi","tag-journalism","tag-leak-investigations"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pam-bondi-attorney-general-speaking-april-2025.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2427846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2427846"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2427846\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2427850,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2427846\/revisions\/2427850"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2427847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2427846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2427846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2427846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}