Martin Bashir Quotes
It was not possible to broadcast any of that because of an agreement between Jackson and the family. Our legal advice was that we could not broadcast it.
Bashir, Martin. Interview. ITV, Feb. 2003.
This is the doctrine which allows the government to in effect quash any lawsuit which it claims will disclose any national secrets. This protects information that if released would harm the country or its security posture. At the same time, it allows an administration to terminate embarrassing lawsuits or ones that might uncover government illegality, by claiming that there will be damage to the nation. It is often difficult to separate damage to the nation from damage to a particular administration and government.
Martin Henry Bashir is a British journalist and news anchor. He came to prominence on British television with his BBC interview with Diana, Princess of Wales, and then his fly-on-the-wall documentary with pop singer Michael Jackson on ITV. On 4 December 2013, Bashir resigned from his position at MSNBC after he made comments described as "ill-judged" about the former Governor of Alaska and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.