Blago v. The Trib--Even Worse in England

You know the story about Blag and the Trib--if Zell doesn't fire editorialists, then Zell will never sell Wrigley Field, yada yada yada.

Short version: print only what the Gummint wants you to print, no more, no less.

That happens in England.

My dog-eared contacts book bulged with trusted names and numbers. There were councillors, local dignitaries, gossipy hairdressers, teachers ... and, of course, police officers.

That sun-soaked morning last year, there was no flicker of premonition that my world was about to be torn apart in a frenzy of police officers, criminal investigations and court proceedings that would threaten not just my own family life but the country's perception of Press freedom

...Officially, I was charged with three counts of the ancient common-law offence of aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office

...In fact, I was being accused of encouraging a police officer to give me information - stories the police authorities do not want in the public domain.

Each of the charges referred to stories I had written or cases I knew about.

None of the stories could be described as being of national importance. One concerned a local footballer involved in a brawl, another about the death of a former drug offender and a third, which was never published, involved an Islamist released early from prison.

And this wasn't just a matter of a few days in the county lockup and a fine:

This man I'd never met before looked me in the eye and said: 'You are under investigation for an extremely serious offence. You could go to prison. For life".

Yes, she beat the rap. This time.

HT: Moonbattery