US EditionFBI searches home of Washington Post reporter in classified documents probe: Report
FBI seized multiple devices from Natanson amid probe into Maryland contractor accused of unlawfully retaining classified intelligence, raising concerns over press freedoms, The Washington Post said.
- On Wednesday morning, FBI agents executed a court-authorized search at Hannah Natanson's Virginia home linked to an investigation of Aurelio Perez-Lugones, a government contractor accused of illegally retaining classified materials.
- Prosecutors allege the contractor accessed and took home classified reports; Aurelio Perez-Lugones, Maryland system administrator with top-secret security clearance, was charged earlier this month.
- Agents seized Hannah Natanson, Washington Post reporter, Virginia home devices including her cellphone, Garmin watch, personal laptop and newsroom-issued laptop, later telling her she was not the focus.
- The Washington Post said it is monitoring the situation while newsroom colleagues scrambled to protect sources as Attorney General Pam Bondi linked the seizure to an alleged leak from a Pentagon contractor.
- Legal guides and advocacy groups note that earlier this year, the Justice Department rescinded a Biden-era policy limiting authorities from seeking reporters' records, while the Privacy Protection Act of 1980 restricts searches of journalists' materials to protect confidential sourcing.
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302 Articles
FBI search raises concerns about intimidation of free press
The FBI searched the home of a Washington Post reporter as part of an investigation involving a government contractor accused of mishandling classified information. Hannah Natanson has been reporting on President Trump’s overhaul of the federal government. Press freedom advocates sharply criticized the search, saying it's a dangerous escalation. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Gabe Rottman.
US authorities search Washington Post reporter’s home
Press freedom groups condemned the FBI’s search of a Washington Post reporter’s home as part of a leak investigation Wednesday. The probe focuses on a government contractor accused of illegally retaining classified documents; the Post reporter Hannah Natanson, who covers President Donald Trump’s overhaul of the federal workforce, wasn’t accused of wrongdoing. Still, the incredibly rare move reflects the Trump administration’s hostile posture tow…
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