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# Tell President Obama America's Best Reporters Should Be on the Beat, Not in Jail
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/free_press_0507141128/
- Published: 2014-05-07T12:27:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:31:26.000Z
- Description: The Center for Media and Democracy asks readers to join Daniel Ellsberg in signing a petition for New York Times reporter James Risen, whom the government is pressing to name a confidential source or go to jail. Risen says he will not capitulate.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Miscellaneous, Health News, #vivvo-import

Wednesday, May 7, 2013  
CONTACT: Nikolina Lazic, [nikolina@prwatch.org](mailto:nikolina@prwatch.org)

## Take a Stand Now for a Free Press  
*Tell President Obama America's Best Reporters Should Be on the Beat, Not in Jail*

Please join with Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg to **take action now for freedom of the press.**

He’s working with us to launch an urgent petition -- at this crucial time for the First Amendment.

[To join with Ellsberg in signing the petition, click here](http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=JIaBSq%2BZutRxMc6nrEyHwbWhxYEntf%2BJ&ref=foodconsumer.org).

The U.S. government is insisting that award-wining *New York Times* "national security" reporter James Risen reveal a confidential source -- or go to jail. Risen says he won’t capitulate.

**Now you can let this journalist and top government officials know that you’re in solidarity with his brave stand for a free press.** [Sign the petition "We Support James Risen Because We Support a Free Press](http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=45%2BYN%2FNkQAKE8qm9Ko8c4bWhxYEntf%2BJ&ref=foodconsumer.org)."

The Freedom of the Press Foundation has called the government's effort to force Risen to reveal a source "**one of the most significant press freedom cases in decades.**"

Why is your support so important?

A recent brief from the Obama administration to the nation’s top court "is **unflinchingly hostile** to the idea of the Supreme Court creating or finding protections for journalists," *Politico* reported.

The newspaper added that Risen "might be sent to jail or fined if he refuses to identify his sources or testify about other details of his reporting."

Daniel Ellsberg says: "The pursuit of Risen is a warning to potential sources that journalists cannot promise them confidentiality for disclosing Executive Branch criminality, recklessness, deception, unconstitutional policies or lying us into war. **Without protecting confidentiality, investigative journalism required for accountability and democracy will wither and disappear**."

[Amplify our combined voices. Click here to sign the petition to President Obama and Attorney General Holder](http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1XDwwYU2JyutgI4Bs79qVLWhxYEntf%2BJ&ref=foodconsumer.org).

**So much is at stake: for whistleblowers, freedom of the press and the public’s right to know. And for democracy.**

That’s why our team at The Progressive/Center for Media and Democracy is joining forces with Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR), the Freedom of the Press Foundation and The Nation magazine and others to insist on protection for the confidentiality of journalists’ sources.

[Learn more about this troubling case here](http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=c74cMqvgya%2FHmAhpnvcVErWhxYEntf%2BJ&ref=foodconsumer.org).

Thank you for taking action!

\--- Matt Rothschild   
The Progressive/Center for Media and Democracy