Experts fear journalist testimony in CIA leak case will erode freedom of press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some journalists who made careers out of questioning government officials and bearing witness to history may soon find themselves answering questions from prosecutors as key witnesses in the CIA leak case.

Ten or more reporters from some of the most prominent news organizations could be called to testify in the perjury and obstruction case of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. It's rare enough for reporters to become witnesses. But the Libby case is even more unusual because journalists will be dueling witnesses — some called by the defense team, some by prosecutors.

"It will be unprecedented and, as far as I'm concerned, horrifying," Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said of the case, for which jury selection begins in two weeks.

Prosecutors want to show that Libby lied to investigators about his conversations with journalists regarding outed CIA officer Valerie Plame, and they are expected to rely on former New York Times reporter Judith Miller, Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper and NBC Washington bureau chief Tim Russert to make their case.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-01-02-cia-leak-reporters_x.htm?csp=34

Since Libby's case is surrounding around leaking a CIA covert's identity to reporters, it is the civil duty of the reporters to tell the truth and cooperate with the court. Other reporters I would like to see added in the witness list:

Robert Novak

Bob Woodward

Chris Matthews

David Brooks

Andrea Mitchell

Vivica Novak (no relation to Robert Novak)