An editorial about free speech by AP Executive Editor Julie Pace was published today in The Wall Street Journal.
In it, Pace explains why AP has taken legal action, calling the White House’s actions to block AP “nothing less than a brazen attempt to punish the AP for using words the president doesn’t like.”
She writes:
We didn’t ask for this fight. We pursued every possible avenue to resolve the issue before taking legal action. But we must stand on principle. No matter how this case ends, the AP remains steadfast in its mission to inform the world with accurate, factual and nonpartisan news—as it has for nearly 180 years.
The AP has no corporate owner and no shareholders. If we don’t step up to defend Americans’ right to speak freely, who will? Today the U.S. government wants to control the AP’s speech. Tomorrow it could be someone else’s.
The piece is available online.
AP’s next court hearing is Thursday, March 27.
Read the AP story.
