Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) blocked the Press Freedom Act on the Senate floor on Wednesday as Democrats tried to fast-track passage of the bill that has already been approved by the House. Sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the legislation would prohibit the government from forcing journalists and telecommunications companies to disclose certain information. Cotton cited the Pentagon Papers, which were leaked to and published by the New York Times and showed the extent to which the government was lying about the Vietnam War, as an example of why the press should be held accountable.
