Truth in Our Times : Inside the Fight for Press Freedom in the Age of Alternative Facts

David E. McCraw recounts his experiences as the top newsroom lawyer for the New York Times during the most turbulent era for journalism in generations. In October 2016, when Donald Trump's lawyer demanded that The New York Times retract an article focused on two women that accused Trump of touching them inappropriately, David McCraw's scathing letter of refusal went viral and he became a hero of press freedom everywhere. But as you'll see in Truth in Our Times, for the top newsroom lawyer at the paper of record, it was just another day at the office.McCraw has worked at the Times since 2002, leading the paper's fight for freedom of information, defending it against libel suits, and providing legal counsel to the reporters breaking the biggest stories of the year. In short: if you've read a controversial story in the paper since the Bush administration, it went across his desk first. From Chelsea Manning's leaks to Trump's tax returns, McCraw is at the center of the paper's decisions about what news is fit to print.In Truth in Our Times, McCraw recounts the hard legal decisions behind the most impactful stories of the last decade with candor and style. The book is simultaneously a rare peek behind the curtain of the celebrated organization, a love letter to freedom of the press, and a decisive rebuttal of Trump's fake news slur through a series of hard cases. It is an absolute must-have for any dedicated reader of The New York Times.About the AuthorDAVID MCCRAW is Deputy General Counsel at The New York Times, where he has worked since 2002. He provides legal counsel to the newsroom regarding libel, freedom of information, court access, litigation and news-gathering. Previously, he was Deputy General Counsel of The New York Daily News. He conducts workshops and performs pro bono work for freedom of press and information around the world. He is an adjunct professor at the NYU School of Law and a visiting lecturer at Harvard Law School. "David E. McGraw recounts his experiences as the top newsroom lawyer for The New York Times during the most turbulent era for journalism in generations. In October 2016, Donald Trump's lawyers demanded that The New York Times retract an article about two women who accused the then presidential candidate of touching them inappropriately. David E. McCraw sent a scathing letter of refusal that dismissed the libel claim, defended the reporters' work on the article, and championed the rights of the women sharing their story as a cornerstone of American democracy. His letter went viral, embraced by liberals as an anti-Trump message and by women as a voice against sexual harassment. McGraw's intent wasn't partisan or political, but to stand against any individual or administration trying to suppress journalists from reporting the truth, and he found himself hailed as a hero of press freedom. With President Trump's declaration of the media as 'the enemy of the American people' and a rallying cry from increasingly volatile quarters dismissing reports as 'fake news,' protecting the First Amendment's freedom of the press has never been more important in the country's history. [This book] shares McGraw's battle experiences as The Times's Deputy General Counsel since 2002, leading the paper's fight for freedom of information, defending it against libel suits, and providing legal counsel to the reporters breaking the biggest stories. From Hillary Clinton's email investigation to Trump's tax returns, McGraw is at the center of the editors' decisions about what news is fit to print. An exclusive look inside the hard legal decisions behind some of the Times's most controversial and impactful stories of the twenty-first century, McGraw's memoir is not only a captivating narrative of the nation's best journalists in the trenches but a love letter celebrating freedom of the press"--Book jacket David E. McCraw recounts his experiences as the top newsroom lawyer for the New York Times during the most turbulent era for journalism in generations. In October 2016, when Donald Trump's lawyer demanded that The New York Times retract an article focused on two women that accused Trump of touching them inappropriately, David McCraw's scathing letter of refusal went viral and he became a hero of press freedom everywhere. But as you'll see in Truth in Our Times , for the top newsroom lawyer at the paper of record, it was just another day at the office. McCraw has worked at the Times since 2002, leading the paper's fight for freedom of information, defending it against libel suits, and providing legal counsel to the reporters breaking the biggest stories of the year. In short: if you've read a controversial story in the paper since the Bush administration, it went across his desk first. From Chelsea Manning's leaks to Trump's tax returns, McCraw is at the center of the paper's decisions about what news is fit to print. In Truth in Our Times, McCraw recounts the hard legal decisions behind the most impactful stories of the last decade with candor and style. The book is simultaneously a rare peek behind the curtain of the celebrated organization, a love letter to freedom of the press, and a decisive rebuttal of Trump's fake news slur through a series of hard cases. It is an absolute must-have for any dedicated reader of The New York Times . Election Day -- Reckless Disregard -- Mystery Mail And The Box In The Courthouse -- Tax Day -- Day Of The Gaggle -- Us Vs. Us -- The Leaks Police -- The Don Of Defamation -- Fake Fake News -- Insecure -- Weinstein & Co -- Alice In Foia-land -- A World Of Trouble -- One Morning A Letter. David E. Mccraw. Includes Index. Text In English.