Government seizure of AP phone records sparks criticism

Eric Holder testifies
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder takes his seat during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice May 15, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Holder faced questions on reports of the subpoena of two months worth of Associated Press journalists' phone records and the Internal Revenue Services' scrutiny of conservative organization's tax exemption requests.
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

It was revealed this week that the Justice Department had seized the phone records of a number of Associated Press journalists. The disclosure has generated sharp criticism of the administration, which is already scrambling to manage the fallout from the Benghazi attacks and the IRS' scrutiny of conservative groups.

According to Shane Harris, author of "The Watchers: The Rise of America's Surveillance State," the United States has "entered a gray area when it comes to reporter privilege."

Harris joins The Daily Circuit to discuss the controversy arising from the AP case. Also taking part in the discussion is Raleigh Levine, First Amendment scholar and William Mitchell professor of law.

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