Journalist Catherine Herridge Faces Contempt for Protecting Sources

A federal court may impose fines or jail time on Herridge for refusing to disclose sources in a privacy case involving leaked government information.

Herridge's legal battle stems from her 2017 reports on Yanping Chen, a Chinese American scientist investigated by the FBI.
Chen's lawsuit claims government agencies leaked her personal data to Herridge, violating the Privacy Act.
Herridge has been held in contempt by a district court for refusing to reveal her sources, facing $800 daily fines.
Press freedom advocates argue that the case threatens journalists' ability to protect confidential sources.
Efforts are underway to push for federal legislation, like the PRESS Act, to safeguard journalist-source confidentiality.