The Pledge of Impedance

 

It's one thing for a government to withhold information from its citizens, regardless of any need to do so. It is another to require that members of the media pledge to assist government in this dissimulation.

This demand for an agreement to join government in its efforts to impede communication of government conduct to the public is particularly unworthy of a nation founded on a Constitution which includes the First Amendment.  The impropriety of concealment in that case becomes even more loathsome as it includes an effort to restrict freedom of speech and "of the press" and force the media to join in a conspiracy to do so.

But it seems that the regime now in power is determined to violate the First Amendment in this and other ways, seemingly to prevent criticism if not for other, more sinister, reasons.  It also seems that Congress is either content to see this to take place or too cowed to do anything about it. 

Whether the Supreme, or Subordinate, Court will tolerate this remains to be seen.  The outlook is bleak, though, as some of the Justices appear to believe themselves to be beyond criticism or at least strongly resent it, and so may sympathize with the regime. It certainly seems inclined to favor the regime, judging from what it's done in the shadows of the Shadow Docket.