zlacker

>>lxm+(OP)
> President Joe Biden recently criticized the policy, saying it's "simply wrong" to seize journalists' records.

The FBI is part of DOJ, which is an executive branch department under Biden's direct authority. If he thinks it's "simply wrong", he can just order them not to do it. He's not limited to "criticizing" it.

>>Turing+67
Good point. I'm not sure he's even aware of that option, unfortunately.

>>bowmes+k7
Oh, he is. But it's good PR to make positive statements while doing whatever you want.

>>hellow+E7
He literally did ban the practice, though, and the quoted line is after the reporting saying he did so?

>>Sebgue+P7
No he did not. He gave a "direction". Which, legally, means almost nothing.

> “Going forward, consistent with the President’s direction, this Department of Justice – in a change to its longstanding practice – will not seek compulsory legal process in leak investigations to obtain source information from members of the news media doing their jobs,” Anthony Coley, Justice Department spokesman, said in a statement.

They are changing a "practice".

One uses laws to prevent practices one does not like, not "directions".