{mosads}Reid went a step further to say there is no way for Justice Department officials to justify a broad seizure of private phone records.

“I have trouble defending what the Justice Department did in going out and looking at the AP. I really believe in the first amendment, I think it’s one of the great things we have as a country. I don’t know who did it and why it was done but it’s inexcusable,” said Reid. “There’s no way to justify this.”

The Democratic leader described himself as a defender of press freedom and pledged he would support legislation to protect journalists’ freedom if colleagues found it to be necessary.

“In my career, I’ve stood consistently for freedom of the press from encroachment by the national security community and will continue to do that,” he said. “It’s an issue I feel very strongly about and will look further whether more legislative action is needed in this regard to secure freedom of the press.”