White House press secretary Jay Carney on Tuesday again referred questions about the collection of Associated Press phone records to the Department of Justice, stating that President Barack Obama remained a “strong defender of the First Amendment.”
“The president is a strong defender of the first amendment,” Carney told reporters at a White House press conference. “And a firm believer in the need for the press to be unfettered in its ability to conduct investigative reporting and facilitate a free flow of information. He also of course recognizes the need for the Justice Department to investigate alleged criminal activity without undue influence.”
“I cannot and he cannot comment on an ongoing Department of Justice investigation, it would be wholly inappropriate,” Carney added.
