ANALYSIS
Washington Post staffers call out owner Bezos for his silence on FBI raid of reporter's home
"This extraordinary, aggressive action is deeply concerning and raises profound questions and concern around the constitutional protections for our work," Post Executive Editor Matt Murray said.
Jeff Bezos, en la sede de 'The Washington Post'
Washington Post staffers have responded to the silence of the newspaper's owner, Jeff Bezos, on the FBI's raid of a reporter's home, with one calling it "nauseating and irresponsible."
Bezos has yet to comment publicly on the raid on Wednesday of reporter Hannah Natanson's home, the New York Post reported. The FBI seized two laptops, a phone, and a Garmin watch at her Virginia home.
The search was related to an investigation into a government contractor in Maryland with top secret security clearance whom authorities allege took home classified reports, per an affidavit. The system administrator, Aurelio Perez-Lugones, was charged earlier this month with unlawful retention of national defense information, according to court filings.
One Post staffer told the Status newsletter on Wednesday that it was “nauseating and irresponsible to have our owner remain silent given this unprecedented event.”
Another staffer said they were “disappointed” but “not surprised” by the lack of public support from Bezos, while a third said, “If there is a moment to stand up for our journalistic values, this would be it.”
Staffers also said that statements from the paper’s leadership haven’t been vigorous enough.
Post Executive Editor Matt Murray sent an internal memo, writing, “This extraordinary, aggressive action is deeply concerning and raises profound questions and concern around the constitutional protections for our work.”
“The Washington Post has a long history of zealous support for robust press freedoms. The entire institution stands by those freedoms and our work.”
Murray also privately met with Natanson for about 30 minutes, Status reported.
About 12 hours after the raid, the paper’s editorial board published a statement condemning the search as “an aggressive attack on the press freedom of all journalists.”
Post Publisher and CEO Will Lewis later issued a statement, calling Natanson one of the newspaper’s “finest reporters,” and saying the search warrant was “outrageous.”
The Justice Department told the newspaper Thursday that the search was consistent with the law.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the search of Natanson’s home was conducted at the request of the Defense Department and that the reporter had been “obtaining and reporting classified and illegally leaked information from a Pentagon contractor.”
The Washington Post and Perez-Lugones didn't immediately respond to the New York Post's requests for comment.
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