DOJ Investigated Journalists' Records Over Air Force One Report

Why it matters locally: The federal investigation into journalists at the New York Times, a major media outlet headquartered in New York City, raises concerns about press freedoms for publications and reporters based within the state.

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The Department of Justice under the Trump administration pursued phone records belonging to journalists at the New York Times. The requests also targeted records from some of the journalists' relatives, according to a court document. These actions aimed to uncover the confidential sources of reporters who wrote about a Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet. Investigators sought this information as part of an effort to identify individuals who provided details for the story. The court filing outlined the scope of the Justice Department's demands for communication data.