New York Times Co. v United States
An investigation was done on the extent to which the United States was involved in the Vietnam war. The results of the investigation were quite surprising, since it proved dishonesty within many politicians as to what actions were taken to intervene in the war. These findings, known as the Pentagon Papers, were leaked to the New York Times. The publishing of these papers caused a stir, for the Nixon administration commanded a cease in publication because it was deemed a threat to national security. The New York Times argued that they were exercising a First Amendment Right (freedom of the press).
Breakdown Verdict.
A 6-3 verdict and a per curiam (by the whole court) authoring of the opinion determined that the New York Times was, in fact, practicing a legal rendering of the First Amendment. The “security” aspect of withholding the Pentagon Papers was seen as a widely vague argument, and the justices felt that ruling in the favor of the United States would justify censorship. Documents could only be undisclosed if they bring an “inevitable, direct, and immediate event imperiling American forces.” That said, common restrictions would continue to prevent espionage or truly hazardous publications of objectively confidential documents.
Result Going Forward.
The ruling for the New York Times allowed them to continue publishing the Pentagon Papers, which exposed many governmental figures and formed distrust between the people and the American system. The First Amendment was protected in this case, allowing the press to publish with increased transparency. National security in relation to individual freedoms of entities and individuals continues to be a moving line in the modern world.
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