Catherine Herridge, an investigative reporter, has achieved a significant albeit temporary win for press freedom. A federal judge has ruled that she will not be required to continue paying an $800-per-day contempt fine while her legal team petitions the U.S. Supreme Court to consider her First Amendment case.
The court also rejected a request from plaintiff Yanping Chen to raise the daily fine to $5,000 and ordered a refund of the fines Herridge has already paid, as announced by Herridge in a statement on X.
The district court has clarified that I don’t have to pay the $800 daily contempt fine for refusing to disclose my confidential sources while our team asks the Supreme Court to hear our First Amendment case.
The court also denied the plaintiff, Yanping Chen’s request to raise the daily contempt fines to 5K. The court ordered reimbursement for the fines I have already paid.
This case is much bigger than one journalist, one story, or one news outlet. The outcome will impact every newsroom in this country and the ability of reporters to protect their sources and do investigative reporting that seeks accountability.
Yet, critical evidence remains hidden from the public and under seal by the District Court.
At a time when many corporate media outlets choose to settle or pressure journalists to surrender their notes, I want to acknowledge that Fox News has continued to stand behind me and fully support the First Amendment and investigative journalism by paying my attorney’s fees.
I remain committed to safeguarding the principles of investigative journalism and a free press.
FIRST AMENDMENT CASE UPDATE
The district court has clarified that I don’t have to pay the $800 daily contempt fine for refusing to disclose my confidential sources while our team asks the Supreme Court to hear our First Amendment case.
The court also denied the plaintiff,… pic.twitter.com/XNQ3ds3ZAc
— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) August 7, 2026
Herridge’s legal challenges originate from her 2017 reporting for Fox News on Yanping Chen, a Chinese-American scientist and founder of the University of Management and Technology in Virginia, which received funding from the Department of Defense.
Her investigation focused on Chen’s previous service in China’s People’s Liberation Army, statements on her U.S. immigration forms, and whether the school, which American service members attended using Defense Department tuition assistance, could have been leveraged to collect information valuable to Beijing.
The FBI conducted a lengthy counterintelligence investigation into Chen, which included a search of her home, but no charges were filed.
Chen subsequently filed a lawsuit against the FBI and other federal agencies under the Privacy Act, alleging officials unlawfully leaked her protected information to the media to tarnish her reputation.
After failing to identify the leaker despite extensive discovery, Chen’s legal team targeted Herridge, subpoenaing her to reveal her confidential sources. Herridge refused to comply.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, nominated by Barack Obama, found Herridge in civil contempt in February 2024, imposing the $800-a-day fine aimed at compelling her compliance. The D.C. Circuit later upheld this contempt finding.
On July 2, the Supreme Court denied Herridge’s emergency request to halt the sanction. Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted he would have granted a stay.
The district court has now clarified that the fines are suspended pending the Supreme Court’s decision to review the case or throughout the Supreme Court process if the case is heard. The judge also ordered the return of Herridge’s previous payments, as reported by court update reported Friday.
This clarification is crucial as it prevents the contempt sanction from becoming a financial burden before Herridge has fully pursued her appeal to the nation’s highest court.
