An Urgent Note to the New York Press Corps

January 14, 2016

To the esteemed members of the New York Press Corps,

If Andrew Cuomo’s Joint Commission of Public Integrity (JCOPE) has its way, this note will have to be reported to the government.

So will any phone calls between my office and you, whether we initiate the call or you do. If we call you to leak information, that will have to be recorded. If you call to confirm a story, that must be recorded, too.

The monthly logs will have to include your name and ours, the length of the call, and the subject matter discussed, whether the conversation was on the record, off the record, or on background.

Needless to say, our company will not comply with such a regulation if it is passed. If you are willing to go to jail to protect the identity of your sources -- and some of you have -- we are willing to go to jail to protect yours.

Please see here and here two pieces further explaining the issue. It’s something you need to know.

There is acres of room for ethics reform in Albany without stomping up and down on the First Amendment.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Bill O’Reilly

Jessica Proud Jerry McKinstry