FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION

A&A: Can an individual publish a legal notice in a newspaper??

1stamendmnt — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:23:15 +0000

Q: Is there any legal reason why an individual would not be allowed to place a paid legal notice in a newspaper? The content is to inform the public about a woman being unlawfully tormented and hunted in the judicial system. A: I believe you are asking whether a newspaper that publishes legal notices is [...]

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Administration dives for cover in AP phone record incident

donal brown — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:58:14 +0000

Attorney General Eric Holder defended the seizure of Associated Press phone records in an investigation of leaks involving the CIA, saying that it was necessary to uphold national security. (The New York Times, May 14, 2013, by Charlie Savage and Scott Shane) But to insure that everyone believed their statements about the importance of free [...]

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Appeal in free speech case over graphic abortion images

donal brown — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:51:52 +0000

The Thomas Moore Society has filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a Colorado Supreme Court decision in a case in which an anti-abortion protester was ruled disruptive for displaying large photos of aborted fetuses near a Palm Sunday procession with about 200 children present. Some of the children were upset by [...]

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Scandal over Bloomberg use of client data

donal brown — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:13:44 +0000

Bloomberg News reporters were using the company’s financial data terminals to monitor login activity to gain an edge in covering market and trading news. Bloomberg editor-in-chief Matthew Winkler admitted the practice was long standing and apologized saying it was an inexcusable error. (The New York Times, May 13, 2013, by Amy Chozick) After JKMorganChase complained [...]

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Justice Department seizes AP phone records

donal brown — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:00:32 +0000

The Justice Department authorized a confiscation of phone records of Associated Press reporters and editors that many feel is an egregious attack on freedom of the press. The government’s action is thought to be part of an investigation into the leaking of information a year ago about a foiled Yemen-based plot to bomb an airliner. [...]

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The SEC should go forward with a rule requiring corporations to publicly disclose their campaign contributions.

Peter Scheer — Tue, 14 May 2013 08:31:25 +0000

If you believe public corporations should be required to disclose their political campaign contributions, there’s a simple solution. It is the solution that is being considered by the Securities Exchange Commission in Washington– namely, to treat contributions as material transactions and, on that basis, require that they be disclosed, like profits, losses, lawsuits, etc, in [...]

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Dating imperiled by government speech mandate

donal brown — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:58:23 +0000

The Departments of Justice and Education are ordering every U.S. college and university to enact speech codes that include restrictions on expression on sexual topics that offend any person; sexually themed jokes that are considered offensive; and requests for dates or flirtation not welcomed by the recipient.”…the Departments of Justice and Education have mandated a [...]

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Feds request removal from Internet of 3D handgun designs

donal brown — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:17:36 +0000

The State Department prevailed on Defense Distributed, a Texas nonprofit, to remove from the Internet designs for a pistol. State said the act of distributing these designs online violated federal law restricting transfer and access of data for designated weapons. (Courthouse News Service, May 13, 2013, by David Lee) The incident inspired a detailed blog [...]

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Open data era for federal government holds great promise

donal brown — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:09:35 +0000

President Barack Obama ordered a new Open Data Policy May 10 to make open data the new default for releasing information in the federal government. The order is expected to provide business and research concerns with data to spur innovation and enterprise. (E Pluribus Unum, May 10, 2013, by Alex Howard) While praising the order, [...]

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Access to court documents argued in 9th Circuit

donal brown — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:45:33 +0000

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on press access to courts this week with the California state court attorney asserting that the case belonged in state courts and attorneys for the press citing a Ninth Circuit ruling that a 48-hour delay in access to court documents violated the First Amendment. (Courthouse News [...]

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