News industry objects to off-the-record session with Attorney General

The New York Times and Associated Press are among several media outlets refusing to attend a meeting of Washington bureau chiefs and Attorney General Eric Holder about guidelines for journalists in leak investigation. The outlets are protesting the provision that the meeting be off-the-record. (Huffington Post, May 29, 2013, by Michael Calderone)

The full list as reported by Michael Calderone, Huffington Post, May 30,. 2013:

Not going: New York Times, AP, Huffington Post, McClatchy, CNN, CBS News, Fox News and Reuters.

Going: The Washington Post, Politico, and ABC News.

Undecided: NBC News.

When Holder requested an off-the-record meeting, he was rejecting President Obama’s own standards for transparency designed to “bring Americans back into their government.” The guideline stated: “Obama will require his appointees who lead the executive branch departments and rulemaking agencies to conduct the significant business of the agency in public, so that any citizen can see these debates in person or watch them on the internet.” (The Washington Post, May 30, 2013, by Erik Wemple)

In the meantime, The New York Times reported that Holder has been the target of harsh criticism by the major parties and the media. (The New York Times, May 30, 2013, by Charlie Savage and Jonathan Weisman) -db