According to an article in the Denver Post, Lance Armstrong’s attorneys say there have been illegal government leaks of grand jury information which have hurt his reputation. They have asked for a court order to force federal agents to discuss their contact with the media. The lawyers have cited more than 12 articles in various media during the past year that discuss the grand jury investigation. Their argument is that only someone from the government could be responsible for the leaks. They want a judge to order the government to explain why it should not be held in contempt. They also want the court to force journalists to reveal their sources.
The court papers are quoted as saying “The leaker in this case has, from the beginning, acted with the obvious intent of legitimizing the government’s investigation of a national hero, best known for his role in the fight against cancer. Each leak has been designed to propagate public support for this investigation by smearing Armtrong and tarnishing his reputation. The tactical nature of these leaks cannot be ignored as it strongly suggests an underlying partisanship inherent in government agents.”
The lawyers have accused Associated Press, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated and 60 Minutes of reporting illegally leaked information.
