I would say that the Pentagon Papers case of 1971 - in which the government tried to block the The New York Times and The Washington Post that they obtained from a secret study of how we got involved in…

Quote by Floyd Abrams

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My role in it was not as central as it was in some of the...

My role in it was not as central as it was in some of the...

This is going right to the police. So, it's a very dangerous precedent.

This is going right to the police. So, it's a very dangerous precedent.

The question at the end of the day was, the courts having found there was...

The question at the end of the day was, the courts having found there was...

CBS fought very hard on this because it believed and believes that there's a principle...

CBS fought very hard on this because it believed and believes that there's a principle...

It has something to do with the facts and the law and who the judges...

It has something to do with the facts and the law and who the judges...

The principle though remains the same, and the important thing is CBS fought hard, very...

The principle though remains the same, and the important thing is CBS fought hard, very...

When I began we did not really have a lot of First Amendment law. It...

When I began we did not really have a lot of First Amendment law. It...

If the word gets out, if the perception exists that by speaking to a CBS...

If the word gets out, if the perception exists that by speaking to a CBS...

I know a lot of reporters certainly will go to jail to defend confidential sources....

I know a lot of reporters certainly will go to jail to defend confidential sources....

So sometimes the facts are good and sometimes the facts are bad, the important thing...

So sometimes the facts are good and sometimes the facts are bad, the important thing...

It just seems to be a human trait to want to protect the speech of...

It just seems to be a human trait to want to protect the speech of...

Here we have a situation where a defendant in a case agrees to an interview...

Here we have a situation where a defendant in a case agrees to an interview...

No other country in the world gives protection like that, but it is not absolute...

No other country in the world gives protection like that, but it is not absolute...

I really did try to write it so that an educated public that cares about...

I really did try to write it so that an educated public that cares about...

I think that it is important for people to understand that whether a good-guy or...

I think that it is important for people to understand that whether a good-guy or...

The government would be able to go to court with respect to newspaper articles, broadcast...

The government would be able to go to court with respect to newspaper articles, broadcast...

I think that the very fact that CBS fought and fought and fought in Texas,...

I think that the very fact that CBS fought and fought and fought in Texas,...

I mean the idea of this is that it's a good thing for the public...

I mean the idea of this is that it's a good thing for the public...

I still owe a duty of loyalty to my clients and former clients, so I...

I still owe a duty of loyalty to my clients and former clients, so I...

It's not like learning how to hit a curve ball in baseball.

It's not like learning how to hit a curve ball in baseball.