I had no idea what to do- I couldn’t imagine not being able to “use” whatever I found out in ES especially because this was about wrongdoing according to those who had urged me to attend the meeting. And even if I accepted the premise and treated the information as an off the record source, could I use it if I got independent corroboration? I raised a lot of ethical questions for me.

I finally refused to attend because I really a) at first couldn’t believe that this could really be the law and b) when I was shown the law I couldn’t imagine knowing and not using the revelations made in ES.

I still don’t get it. I kind of like the concept of keeping them honest but the question of what is and isn’t covered by a specific ES exemption is murky at best sometimes. Do I as a reporter get to decide what to publish if I’m in on an ES? What are the “penalties” for revealing what I find out? And moreover what are my first amendment rights as far a freedom of the press goes? The distinctions between freedom of speech and freedom of the press often depends on the circumstance and, courts have ruled in some areas, one is indistinguishable from the other.

What a can of worms.