NOTE TO STUDENTS: Read the "Background" and "Resources" under the questions before answering.

1. Why did the Justice Department secretly obtain telephone records of work and personal lines assigned to the Associated Press (AP) and several of its reporters/editors?

2. For what period of time did the Justice Department obtain Associated Press phone records?

3. What made the AP's report on the foiled al Qaeda plot so damaging to the White House? (see "Background" below the questions)

4. What was unusual about the Justice Department's seizure of the phone records?

5. How did the Justice Department explain its irregular procedure in secretly obtaining the AP phone records?

6. The White House denies any knowledge of the Justice Department's seizure of AP phone records. Attorney General Eric Holder said he recused (excused) himself from the Justice Department's decision to secretly seize the AP phone records. The AP reports: "Justice Department rules require that subpoenas of records of news organizations must be personally approved by the attorney general, but it was not known if that happened in this case."
Obama administration officials say the person who leaked the foiled al Qaeda plot information to the Associated Press was wrong to do so for national security reasons. The AP implies that the Obama administration is angry that their assurance to the American people that al Qaeda was not plotting any attacks was proved to be false. What do you think:
a) Did the Deputy Attorney General, without an OK from the Attorney General, get subpoenas to seize so many AP phone records? If so, was it solely for security reasons to find the leaker? Explain your answer.
b) The Attorney General is the President's chief council (lawyer). He is a member of the President's cabinet. Did the Obama administration really have no knowledge of what the Justice Department was doing? If so, should they have? Explain your answer.