Judge Blocks Government From Reviewing Seized Washington Post Devices
The Post, in its first legal filing since the government searched the home of a reporter last week, had demanded the return of the seized materials.
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the government not to review materials seized during the search of a Washington Post reporter’s home last week.
The ruling, from Magistrate Judge William B. Porter, was in response to a legal filing by the newspaper on Wednesday arguing that the seizures violated the First Amendment and demanding the return of the items.
“The seizure chills speech, cripples reporting and inflicts irreparable harm every day the government keeps its hands on protected materials,” the company said in the filing.
Judge Porter wrote that The Post and the reporter, Hannah Natanson, had shown “good cause” to maintain the “status quo” while the issues were being sorted out in court.
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