FAC

FAC’s year-long campaign for transparency in a key aspect of California’s criminal justice process has resulted in the release of previously sealed records in six clemency cases — records FAC is now making public. FAC obtained the records after securing a series of rulings from the California Supreme Court rejecting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to maintain secrecy of files to seek clemency for twice-convicted felons. Despite the rulings, the governor’s office delayed the release of

First Amendment Coalition Executive Director David Snyder was named the recipient of the 2019 Freedom of Information Award given by the Society of Professional Journalists’ Los Angeles Pro Chapter. The annual award honors a non-journalist who has helped promote First Amendment rights and values.  Snyder, a former newspaper reporter and media lawyer who has led FAC since 2016, is being recognized for fighting “legal battles across the state, winning key rulings resulting in the release

The First Amendment Coalition is pleased to announce the California Reporting Project is the recipient of the 2019 Free Speech & Open Government Award, given in recognition of the project’s groundbreaking statewide campaign to bring to light records of police misconduct.  The project, an unprecedented collaboration of competing newsrooms, started as a cooperative effort between the Bay Area News Group/Southern California News Group, Capital Public Radio, Investigative Studios (of UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program), KPCC/LAist,