The DOJ had Subpoenas to monitor the AP

[Yo_Mama]

18. The Attorney General is the entity that grants them

There is no judicial review in such a case.

From the article you linked:

“We take seriously our obligations to follow all applicable laws, federal regulations, and Department of Justice policies when issuing subpoenas for phone records of media organizations,” said a statement from Bill Miller, spokesman for the office. “Those regulations require us to make every reasonable effort to obtain information through alternative means before even considering a subpoena for the phone records of a member of the media.”
...
Justice Department guidelines require that subpoenas of records from news organizations must be approved personally by the attorney general. Holder’s office did not reply to repeated requests for comment.

I know I'm an old fart, but think of what such a precedent could allow a Nixon to do. Get two months of communications records from both personal and office phones for reporters who didn't even work on the story?

Because AP was not informed of the subpoena, it could not hire a lawyer to ask for judicial review. I literally cannot comprehend why "progressives" would support such a thing.

During the Bush administration, phone companies were agitating because they were getting demands for these records without any subpoenas at all. But a secret subpoena protects only the phone companies.