James Risen discusses his career as a journalist focused on national security and intelligence, and tells the story of his investigation and prosecution by the Department of Justice (DOJ) from 2007 to 2015 for the publication of leaked classified information. Risen outlines the differences in the handling and prosecution of leaks by the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and provid es details about the negotiations both within The New York Times and between the Bush administration and the paper surrounding the publication of his reporting on the National Security Agency's illegal wiretapping program and the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Operation Merlin. The DOJ's case against Risen focused on his reporting on Operation Merlin, which The Times did not publish, and which appeared instead in Risen's 2006 book "State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration." Risen recounts the events of his prosecution, and focuses on the Obama administration's escalation of proceedings under the leadership of Attorney General Eric Holder. Risen also comments generally on the Obama administration's national security policy, increased use of DOJ investigations of reporters compared to previous administrations, attitude towards journalists and the press, and lack of meaningful transparency
Presidents--United States; Journalists; Leaks (Disclosure of information)--United States; Wiretapping--Law and legislation--United States; Whistle blowing--United States; Transparency in government--Government policy--United States; Official secrets--United States; Risen, James; Obama, Barack; Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-; United States. Department of Justice
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2020
Physical Description
44 pages
Note (Biographical)
James Risen is an American journalist who has worked for publications including the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and The Intercept. He has written or co-written many articles about the activities of the U.S. government, and is the author of multiple books on subjects ranging from the Central Intelligence Agency to the abortion debate. Risen was a member of The New York Times reporting team that was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting in 2002, and was awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2006 with Eric Lichtblau for their coverage of Bush administration national security programs. In 2008, Risen was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury to testify about his sources in the U.S. government. He refused, and the government continued its prosecution of Risen into the years of the Obama presidency, until he was eventually excused from testifying in 2015
Note
Interviewed by Mary Marshall Clark on September 24, 2020. This interview is part of the Columbia University: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
James Risen, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2023