Attorney General Pam Bondy announced on Friday that it will change policies that allow the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conceal records and testimony related to suspects in criminal investigations.
In a memo obtained by Axios, Bondi wrote that intentionally leaking sensitive information to the media by federal employees undermines the Justice Department’s ability to keep America safe.
“This behavior is illegal, wrong and must be stopped,” Bondy wrote. “Therefore, I have concluded that there is a need to withdraw Merrick Garland’s policy that prevents the Justice Department from seeking records and persuasive testimony in order to identify and punish the cause of inappropriate leaks.”
She said the research method for news gathering is “an extraordinary tool that can be deployed as a last resort if it is essential to the successful investigation or prosecutor’s office.”
US Attorney General Pam Bondy wrote in a note that he would modify his policy to allow journalists to be summoned. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/AFP Getty Images)
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She added that protections were being abused, and officials used “media allies” to leak confidential information for political interests, and policies often kept mobile phones and other electronic records out of reach of prosecutors, Politico reported.
The memo was when National Intelligence Director Tarshi Gabbard on Wednesday introduced two Intelligence Agency experts who were accused of leaking information classified as the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution.
Previous reports say experts shared information classified as the Washington Post and the New York Times.
According to the DOJ, a third crime referral is expected.
The leaker, who is said to have at least two leaks, was referred to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
DNI GABBARD refers to Intel officials to DOJ for prosecution for alleged leakage of classified information
In 2022 under former President Joe Biden, former Attorney General Merrick B. Garland significantly revised the Department of Justice regulations regarding obtaining information from members of the news media.
Garland’s policy has banned the DOJ from seeking information from members of the news media.
Bruce D. Brown, chairman of the Press Committee for Freedom of the Press, wrote in a statement that he had never seen a new language of policy, but stressed the importance of reporters being able to protect the identity of confidential sources.
“We wait to see what the policy looks like, but reporters know they’re still doing their job, and there’s no shortage of legal support to back them up,” Brown wrote in a statement.
Attorney General Pam Bondy compiles former Attorney General Merrick Garland’s policy on gathering information for criminal investigations from media members. (Nathan Posner/Anadoll via Getty Images)
Gabbard establishes a new Intelligence Community Task Force to restore transparency
Bondi said the department will continue to restrict its use of mandatory legal action and will continue to restrict its acquisition of information or records from the media.
The Legal Policy Bureau is tasked with creating new languages to reflect the withdrawal of Garland’s policy.
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Brooke Singman of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Alexandra Koch is a news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox News, Alexandra covered news, crime, religion and military in the Southeast.
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