Judith Miller is off to jail. Matthew Cooper is off to testify to the Novak-Plame-gate grand jury.
Cooper told the court today that he received "in somewhat dramatic fashion" a personal communication from his source relieving him of his promise of confidentiality. God only knows what that means, but apparently it was enough for Cooper to decide to cooperate.
It should be noted that Miller’s source has also waived confidentiality (see links in the Update to this post). Apparently, though, that is not enough for Miller. NYT executive editor Bill Keller called the jailing of Miller a "draconian act," and so it is. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong – Miller is defying a lawful court order even though the person that she is supposedly protecting by defying that order no longer needs or wants her protection. So what principle, exactly, is it that she is serving by going to jail? Anyone? I am honestly puzzled.
