Hide Article Text (OCR)
THE JANESVILLE GAZETTE-132 YEARS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE-Established Aug 14,1845 Continuous Howard F Bliss, Publisher-1883 1919publication under same name Daily editions Harry H Bliss, Publisher —1919 1937 since July 10,1854 Sidney H Bliss, Co Publisher—1937 1969Robert W Bliss, Publisher and Editor Marshall W Johnston, General Manager One South Parker Drive, Janesville, Wisconsin 53545 Dial 608 754 3311Page 6Thursday, June 8 1978The Unannounced SearchGeneral reaction to the United States Supreme Court's recent decision, which allows police to raid newspaper offices, with a warrant, to search for criminal evidence is that the ruling is “disastrous.” That is a mild term Freedom is at the core of the issue. To protect the citizens’ freedom and individual rights the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution were enacted. These, the Bill of Rights, are a part of the basic law of the land Some consider the First Amendment to be a sort of special interest protection for the press, by which reporters, editors and publishers were assured special rights that the public is denied. The truth is, the guarantee of freedom of the press — and of speech — is assurance that the public has access to the sources of news through its newspapers and other media The constitutional guarantee holds that the people have the right to know, especially to know what their government is doing. Evidence of crime gathered by reporters, and recorded in their notes or tapes, has been inviolate — until the Supreme Court ruled a week ago that legal authorities now can rummage through a newspaper office searching for such data, equipped only w ith a warrant. The power to make an unannounced search is a dangerous weapon, the weapon of tyranny. If police can force a newspaper to reveal sources of its confidential information, those sources w ill dry upThe press frequently gathers confidential information on the basis of trust A reporter is often trusted with information given in confidence, with the stipulation that the informant will not be identified It happens every day and is a recognized part of responsible news gathering. The Supreme Court’s ruling, however, effectively cancels a reporter's promise of confidentiality.Wisconsin Attorney General Bronson La Follette seems unconcerned about this opening of the door to capricious police searches in newspaper offices. Re believes “it would be infrequent that I could imagine abuses being developed We disagree. The police, the FBI, federal marshals and other government investigators need only a warrant to make a search of any place where they think criminal evidence might be found. Allowing these unappealable searches sets the stage for police state tyranny.Judging from the court’s majority opinion, written by Associate Justice Byron White, it is clear that he does not understand the issue.More High Court NewsThe activities and decisions of Wisconsin Supreme Court uis-As Lavine puts it, voters deserve to know which iustices
Newspaper Details
Janesville Gazette
Janesville, Wisconsin, US
Thu, Jun 08, 1978
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Pete E.
NA, 19 Aug 2023
Other Publications Near Janesville, Wisconsin
Janesville Badger State
Janesville Alliance Messenger
Janesville Morning Gazette
Janesville Daily Gazette
Weekly Gazette and Free Press
