Lawyers with the Department of Justice on Thursday agreed to unilaterally withdraw a series of subpoenas that sought to compel New York Times journalists to testify about their sources and to access their phone records.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian said he would quash the subpoenas if the Department of Justice refused to withdraw them.
"It's a matter of basic compliance with the law," Judge Subramanian said.
Attorneys for the New York Times were in court Thursday to fight a series of grand jury subpoenas they allege were an attempt to retaliate against and intimidate reporters whose work angered President Donald Trump.
Lawyers for the newspaper had asked the judge to quash the subpoenas, which sought to compel the journalists to testify about their sources, as well as access the phone records of the reporters and some of their family members.
Sean Buckley, the chief counsel to the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said that prosecutors would return to the judge if they decide to seek new subpoenas in the future.
"Upon further consideration, the government is prepared unilaterally to withdraw the subpoenas at this time," he said.
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