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A group of House Democrats is mounting a renewed push to strip J. Edgar Hoover's name off the FBI headquarters in the wake of a powerful new film that highlights one of the bureau's worst abuses under his leadership: a secret, decades-long program known as COINTELPRO that was aimed at discrediting civil rights activists, and which ultimately led to the 1969 killing by law enforcement of Chicago Black Panther leader Fred Hampton. “You take a poll and I would bet 90 percent of the society has no clue what COINTELPRO was,” said Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee, who, along with 22 co-sponsors, has reintroduced a bill to remove the longtime FBI director's name from the bureau's headquarters building in Washington, D.C. “This is an ugly part of our past that is not well known.”
Television reporter Jim Taricani was convicted of criminal contempt Thursday for not revealing to authorities the source of a video that he had received and reported on. The video had been sealed to prevent the public from seeing it. 

US District Court Judge Ernest Torres convicted Taricani, a reporter for WJAR-TV News in Providence, Rhode Island. The video in question showed the city's mayor, Vincent Cianci, taking a $1000 bribe. The official was subsequently convicted for corruption. During Cianci's trial, the court had ordered the video to be sealed. It was subsequently released to reporter Jim Taricani. Torres opined that the leak had been designed to prevent a fair trial and, as the video was sealed, the person who leaked it had broken the law.

Taricani's refusal to identify the leaker had been the basis for his conviction of civil contempt on March 16. A USD $1000 fine was to be issued every day until Taricani revealed his source. He has paid all fines, and was reimbursed by WJAR-TV News for all expenses. Torres suspended the fine, calling it ineffective.

Taricani defended his action, saying: "I made a promise to my source, which I intend to keep."

Prosecutions for not revealing sources are becoming an increasingly common occurrence. Eight journalists have been convicted in recent months. Speaking in an interview Wednesday, he said, "I'm proud to be a part of this effort with other reporters who are facing this same thing."

Sentencing is to take place December 9th. Torres has said Taricani will receive no more than six months due to ill health.