The article reads to me like Shachtman pulled some punches when he edited the reporter's article while she was out of the office tending to her dying mother and that he did so to protect Meeks, a former colleague, who he identified with too much professionally:

"Prior to Meek's arrest, Shachtman considered Meek a peer with whom he was friendly, according to associates.

Shachtman has told colleagues that the two men travel in the same professional circles."

That seems to be the case as well. If the allegations against Meeks are true, then what a horrible thing to get into and throw away a career and life.
#5 | POSTED BY GONOLES92

I get why Shachtman didn't include the fact that there was a child pornography element to the story, because that aspect of the reporting wasn't firmed up. But I do think he was at fault for not including a statement that there was potential criminal liability involved instead of making it sound like the raid had something to do with Meek's investigating a national security story.