Coalition News Archives | FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION

FAC Succeeds in Unsealing Search Warrant Executed on SF Journalist Bryan Carmody

July 19, 2019July 19, 2019 by 1stamendmnt

A San Francisco judge yesterday ordered police to publicly release sealed documents relating to a search warrant executed on freelance journalist Bryan Carmody, whose home and office were raided by SFPD in an unlawful show of force that shocked journalists and free-press advocates across the country. The order, the result of a motion filed by …

RSVP: The Future of Free Expression Online in America

July 11, 2019July 9, 2019 by 1stamendmnt

The exponential rise of hate speech, fake news, and terror content has led to growing pressure for major internet platforms and governments around the world to regulate greater amounts of online content, while also upholding free speech principles. In the U.S., the First Amendment limits the ability of the U.S. government to regulate online speech …

FAC Receives $100k Gift from Craig Newmark Philanthropies

June 19, 2019June 20, 2019 by 1stamendmnt

FAC has received a $100,000 gift from Craig Newmark Philanthropies to support the organization’s work to defend free speech, the free press, and public participation in civic affairs. This generous and substantial commitment will enable FAC to continue to grow its programs and reach new audiences—work that is more important than ever in light of unprecedented threats …

FAC Prevails in Effort to Force CA Attorney General to Disclose Police Misconduct Files

May 17, 2019 by Clara Hogan

A San Francisco judge today ordered California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to begin disclosing police-misconduct files sought by the First Amendment Coalition (FAC)—a victory for government transparency against one of the few remaining police agencies in the state to refuse to comply with Senate Bill 1421, California’s new landmark police transparency bill that went into …

FAC Moves to Unseal Search Warrants in Illegal Police Raid on SF Journalist

May 20, 2019May 16, 2019 by Clara Hogan

The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) today filed a motion to unseal the San Francisco Police Department’s applications for two search warrants in the case of journalist Bryan Carmody, whose home and office police raided last week, sparking national outrage from press advocates, civil libertarians and many others. Why two judges authorized those warrants—which appear to be …

FAC Moves—Again—To Unseal Records From CA Supreme Court “Secret Docket”

May 29, 2019May 7, 2019 by Clara Hogan

The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) today asked the California Supreme Court to unseal Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request that the Court affirm his decision to pardon a Southern California woman convicted of felonies years ago. Today’s motion is the sixth in a series of motions FAC has filed in the high court in an effort to …

FAC Forces Disclosure of More Documents From CA Supreme Court ‘Secret Docket’

March 26, 2019March 21, 2019 by Clara Hogan

Even more secret records related to former California Gov. Jerry Brown’s request to pardon former state Sen. Rod Wright became public yesterday—the result of an ongoing effort by the First Amendment Coalition (FAC) to shine light on the decades-old California Supreme Court practice of automatically sealing documents related to executive clemency. The once-sealed records released …

FAC Joins Letter to Sacramento Police Over Treatment of Journalists at Protest

March 18, 2019March 18, 2019 by Clara Hogan

The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) today joined the Committee to Protect Journalists and other press freedom organizations in sending a letter to the Sacramento police department to request a meeting over the treatment of journalist at a recent protest. You can read the full letter below: Chief Daniel Hahn Sacramento Police Department 5770 Freeport Blvd., Suite …

FAC Sues CA Attorney General to Force Disclosure of Police Misconduct Files

February 14, 2019 by Clara Hogan

The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) filed suit today against California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for failing to comply with the state’s new, landmark police transparency law. The suit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, seeks the release of records regarding serious police misconduct—records that all state and local agencies are now required to disclose under Senate Bill …

FAC, Media Coalition Notch Important Victory in Growing Police Transparency Fight

February 11, 2019 by Clara Hogan

A coalition of media groups led by the First Amendment Coalition has prevailed in the latest battle in the expanding legal fight over California’s landmark police transparency bill, Senate Bill 1421. On Friday, Judge Charles Treat of the Contra Costa County Superior Court denied a preliminary injunction sought by police unions that would have barred …