Fired CBS journalist Catherine Herridge who dug up dirt on Hunter Biden says she's facing 'crippling' $800 per DAY fines for protecting source amid legal battle

Despite being ordered to pay 'crippling' fines of $800 per day a former investigative reporter said that she would still not reveal the confidential sources behind her reporting. 

Catherine Herridge is an award-winning journalist who served as an investigative reporter for CBS News from 2019 to 2024 and before then at Fox News from 1996 to 2019. 

She is known for her reporting on Hunter Biden's infamous laptop and for her February termination from CBS News that resulted in hundreds of her files being seized and her getting locked out of her office. 

On Thursday, Herridge testified before the House Judiciary Committee about the personal costs she has shouldered to protect her sources and advocated for the PRESS Act, which aims to protect journalists from revealing their sources. 

'The fact that I have been fighting in the courts for two years and that I am now facing potentially crippling fines of $800 a day to protect my reporting sources underscores the vital importance of the Press Act,' she said. 

Former CBS reporter Catherine Herridge testified Thursday about how she faces federal prosecution for protecting the sources behind a 2017 investigative series

CBS News terminated Herridge for undisclosed reasons in February and later locked the reporter out of her office for days as they seized her reporting materials 

'When you go through major life events as I have in recent weeks, losing your job, losing your company health insurance, having your reporting and files seized by your former employer, and being held in contempt of court gives you clarity.'

'The First Amendment with the protection of confidential sources and a free press are my guiding principles. They are my North Star.'

Herridge's testimony comes as she is currently embroiled in a high-profile First Amendment legal battle.

At the end of February, a federal judge held Herridge in civil contempt for refusing to reveal her source for an investigative series she did in 2017 for Fox News about a Chinese scientist who was investigated by the FBI. 

That individual, Yanping Chen, was never charged by the bureau.

In 2018, Chen later sued the FBI and Department of Justice over the leak, alleging the government had violated the Privacy Act, which bars the public disclosure of private information about U.S. citizens without first receiving their consent. 

As a result, a federal judge later ordered Herridge to reveal the identity of the source behind the hearings.

That judge ordered Herridge pay $800 a day until she unmasks her source. 

She has also appealed that ruling and is awaiting a decision from the D.C. Court of Appeals. 

Fox News, Herridge said, has helped her with her ongoing legal battles. 

'One of our children recently asked me if I would go to jail, if we would lose our house and if we would lose our family savings to protect my reporting sources,' Herridge said.

'I wanted to answer that in this United States where we say we value democracy and the role of a vibrant and free press that it was impossible, but I could not offer that assurance.'

'I feel that we're in a very dangerous place as journalists,' the journalist testified.

'These fines are designed that you have to disclose your sources. I'm fortunate that that has been stayed pending the appeal.' 

'I hope that I am the last journalist who has to spend two years in the federal courts fighting to protect my confidential sources.'

The former CBS News reporter repeatedly brought up the PRESS Act, which passed the House in January and has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said he is 'hopeful' that the bill will passed the upper chamber and get signed into law by President Joe Biden later this year.  

Herridge advocated for the PRESS Act during her testimony, saying it could help future journalist from being forced to reveal their confidential sources

'The PRESS Act was written to prevent the federal government from compelling journalists to identify a source as well as any records, contents or communication documents or information obtained or created by journalists in the course of their work,' Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who was presiding over the hearing, said. 

'It ensures a free press independent from an executive branch that seeks to attack or harass journalists in order to identify their confidential sources.'

'The significance of the press that cannot be understated,' Roy continued.