“[T]his is a tremendous escalation in the administration’s intrusions into the independence of the press,” said RCFP President Bruce D. Brown.

Records in the high-profile case were made public last month after a yearslong legal battle RCFP attorneys waged on behalf of three newsrooms.

A federal lawsuit alleges that teenagers are put in solitary confinement, despite its demonstrated harm. State officials deny the claims.

Law enforcement say human traffickers are bringing people from South Carolina and Atlanta, trying to recruit and find victims.

The upcoming Helene recovery bill is shaping up to be the largest yet, with $830 million in relief being considered a week out from voting.