In a major development in the ongoing scandal over the Obama administration’s spying on journalists, NBC News is reporting Attorney General Eric Holder personally signed off on a controversial search warrant that identified Fox News reporter James Rosen as a “possible co-conspirator” in violations of the Espionage Act. The search warrant enabled Justice Department investigators to secretly seize his private emails. On Thursday, President Obama ordered a review of the Justice Department’s procedures for legal investigations involving reporters.

President Obama: “As commander-in-chief, I believe we must keep information secret that protects our operations and our people in the field. To do so, we must enforce consequences for those who break the law and breach their commitment to protect classified information. But a free press is also essential for our democracy. That’s who we are. And I’m troubled by the possibility that leak investigations may chill the investigative journalism that holds government accountable.”