PUBLIC BUSINESS; PRIVATE EMAIL
A model policy for local governments
When public officials conduct the public’s business using emails — from a .gov public account or their private email account–the public should have access. Easier said than done. FAC offers a simple, practical model policy for local governments’ management of email.
On Access by Peter Scheer
Opinion by Peter Scheer
- FAC sues LA council over destroyed public records
A new lawsuit filed by the First Amendment Coalition against Los Angeles highlights local governments’ all-too-common---and illegal---practice of destroying public records. The suit, filed Thursday in Superior Court for Los Angeles County, focuses on documents that went missing when a termed-out council member, Tom LaBonge, left office in 2015. Thousands of documents about city business---”public records” under California law---had been boxed up, marked for destruction, and removed from LaBonge’s council office, according to news accounts at the time. FAC filed a request under the California Public Records Act for LaBonge’s memos, communications and other records concerning public matters in which,… ∞
1st Amendment fallout from Peter Thiel’s bankrolling of Hogan suit against Gawker
In an interview with Pacific Standard, I discussed the Hulk Hogan lawsuit against Gawker---or more precisely, the role of billionaire Peter Thiel, who financed the litigation even though he was not a party in the case and had no legal standing to be one. From the transcript: . . . . . "I’m afraid that the legacy of the Gawker suit will be that journalists everywhere are not quite sure what went wrong in that case, in terms of First Amendment protections, and journalists everywhere will take the lesson that they need to dial back whenever they may be writing… ∞
IRS censorship of nonprofits must give way to the First Amendment
Because of legal restrictions on nonprofit, “charitable” organizations, I am not allowed to say that Donald Trump poses an existential threat to First Amendment freedoms. I believe it to be true. But as executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, I am supposed to keep such thoughts to myself. The freedom to engage in public debate during the run-up to an election---criticizing one candidate, supporting an opponent---is taken for granted in America and rightly considered a birthright of citizenship. But this freedom does not exist for organizations, like FAC, that are exempt from tax under section 501C3 of the tax… ∞
- FAC sues LA council over destroyed public records
A new lawsuit filed by the First Amendment Coalition against Los Angeles highlights local governments’ all-too-common---and illegal---practice of destroying public records. The suit, filed Thursday in Superior Court for Los Angeles County, focuses on documents that went missing when a termed-out council member, Tom LaBonge, left office in 2015. Thousands… ∞
FAC partners with Online News Association to assist digital journalistsThe First Amendment Coalition is delighted to announce a partnership with the Online News Association to provide ONA members—-digital journalists working primarily for digital media platforms—with legal help on First Amendment and other media law matters through FAC’s Legal Hotline service. The Legal Hotline is a legal consultation service available… ∞Super Bowl Score: Cop Overtime $6.3 Million, Taxpayers 0By Karl Olson -- The big winners of Super Bowl 50 were not just the Denver Broncos, they were San Francisco cops who racked up over $6.3 million in overtime while The City hosted “Super Bowl City.” And the big losers were not just the Carolina Panthers, they were San Francisco… ∞
