I think that it is important for people to understand that whether a good-guy or a bad-guy wins a case is less important than what the law is that the case results in. Floyd Abrams badcasegood Change image and share on social
My role in it was not as central as it was in some of the later cases considering I was younger then and I was playing a role of co-counsel on the case. Floyd Abrams casecentralcounsel Change image and share on social
I would say that the Pentagon Papers case of 1971 - in which the government tried to block the The New York Times and The Washington Post that they obtained from a secret study of how we got involved in the war in Vietnam - that is probably the most important case. Floyd Abrams blockcasegovernment share on social
The principle though remains the same, and the important thing is CBS fought hard, very hard, to protect that principle and will fight again. Floyd Abrams cbsfighthard Change image and share on social
It is not to benefit CBS, not to benefit its reporters. On this one, the entire basis of it is this is a way to get more information, more important information to the public. And that's why so many states recognize this. Floyd Abrams basisbenefitcbs share on social
I know a lot of reporters certainly will go to jail to defend confidential sources. Some have even gone to jail for an issue like this. But I can't say that's the norm. Floyd Abrams confidentialdefendissue Change image and share on social
This is going right to the police. So, it's a very dangerous precedent. Floyd Abrams dangerouspoliceprecedent Change image and share on social
The question at the end of the day was, the courts having found there was no defense, a producer about to go to jail, should CBS in effect tell the producer go to jail even though there is no law at all that we can use to get you out of jail? Floyd Abrams cbscourtday share on social
I really did try to write it so that an educated public that cares about issues like this doesn't have to be a lawyer and can read it and understand it. Floyd Abrams careeducateissue Change image and share on social
It is within the last quarter century or thirty years. And a lot of that law has turned out to be very, very protective of the press and the public's right to know. Floyd Abrams centurylawlot Change image and share on social