We know that Your Honor will appreciate the reasons that lead us to decline your invitation. As a matter of long-held principle, we believe that it would be inappropriate for any of our journalists voluntarily to testify about news gathering methods at the Times, our reporters' communications with their sources or the editorial judgments that are made in deciding what is and what is not published by the Times, just as we would vigorously resist any effort by any party to compel such testimony. We guard quite zealously our role as a member of a free and independent press and believe quite passionately that, consistent with the principles embodied in the First Amendment, it is not the role of the newspaper or its reporters to submit to cross-examination about such matters even where it may otherwise serve our particular interests in a particular case to do so. I want to emphasize as clearly as I can that in declining Your Honor's invitation we mean absolutely no disrespect whatsoever to the Court.