Politico.com reported yesterday that Federal investigators obtained “certain travel records” of New York Times reporter and author James Risen, as part of their attempt to identify Risen’s confidential sources. According to Politico.com:

The scope and intrusiveness of the government’s efforts to uncover reporter James Risen’s sources surfaced Thursday in the criminal case of Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA officer facing federal criminal charges for allegedly disclosing classified information [to] Risen… In a motion filed in federal court in Alexandria [VA], Sterling’s defense lawyers .. reveal that the prosecution … “has produced … Mr. Risen’s credit card and bank records and certain records of his airline travel.” [emphasis added]

What were these “certain records” of Mr. Risen’s air travel? How did the Feds obtain them? And how were they used? Read More →