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"the sources are being sought in connection with a PRIVATE CIVIL SUIT by one of the people that she named in her article as a person of interest... someone never charged with a crime."

It shouldn't matter who is the plaintiff, or what court it is.  The right for journalists to keep their sources anonymous is integral if a free press is to keep the government in line as intended by the founding fathers.  The horrifying thing about this story is that the judicial system has failed to protect the rights of anonymous sources.  If journalists can be compelled to reveal sources, then whistleblowers will be that much more reluctant to bring  corruption to the publics knowledge. 

As for the individual never being charged with a crime, I don't remember Nixon ever being taken to court either.  I know that pussy Ford pardoned him, but who knows if someone high up in the government did not smile upon this individual.  This case is just another attempt to prevent future whistle blowers from acting in the future.  (Check out wikileaks.org to see another effort)