Judith Miller Denies 'Career Move'

October 19th, 2005 9:56 AM

Judith Miller denies she went to jail as a "career move."

"I did not go to jail to get a large advance on my next book contract or to martyr myself. Anyone who thinks that I would spend 85 days in jail as a canny career move, or simply because I misunderstood communication, or a lack of such from my source, knows nothing about jail, nothing about me and nothing about the admittedly complicated facts in this case."

Miller is surprised at the skepticism she now faces from fellow journalists. She enjoyed blanket support from her colleagues until more facts from the case began to emerge, including her claim that she didn't recall who it was who gave her the name Valerie "Flame."

The Society of Professional Journalists gave her their First Amendment award in Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Review Journal noted the reaction she got:

"Response from the crowd of journalists was mixed. About half stood when she received the award. Some walked out of the panel discussion that followed, grousing about Miller's reporting and the Times' coverage of the controversy."