Remember Judith Miller? She’s the New York Times journalist who was promoting bogus claims of Iraqi WMD before the 2003 invasion. When it was discovered that she had been sourcing her material from none other than fraudster Ahmed Chalabi, she kept her job and remains one of the Times’ key reporters. So much for accountability at the “paper of record.”
Now she’s caught up into another scandal. Miller and Matthew Cooper of Time magazine face up to 18 months in jail for declining to name the source (or sources) who leaked the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame to them. Miller never wrote about the story, but researched background information about it. Miller did cover the Plame case. Miller has launched a website to support her case.
Speaking to Editor and Publisher, Miller said she would not likely be writing additional pieces for the site or starting a blog. “I don’t know a lot about this Web stuff,” she said. “I have a full time job writing for The New York Times. I don’t need to write for a blog.” Good to see Miller understands online journalism. She’s too busy finding false information to help launch illegal wars in the Middle East.
Scepticism towards Miller is a natural reaction, however, it appears that her journalistic ethics are being threatened in this case. A reporter’s sources are sacred and should be protected. One can see why those in power would like these long-established norms to be challenged. Watch this space.