Pentagon restrictions on press violate First Amendment, judge rules

A federal judge ruled that the Pentagon's new journalist access policy violates the First and Fifth Amendments, blocking key portions of the restrictive measures. The policy, implemented in October, required reporters to obtain approval before releasing any information gathered at the Pentagon and threatened to bar journalists who solicited sensitive information. Most major news organizations, including The New York Times, CNN, and BBC News, refused to sign the agreement and lost their regular access, leaving the Pentagon press corps dominated by conservative outlets that complied.