Coalition News

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 …

Read moreFAC Joins Letter to Sacramento Police Over Treatment of Journalists at Protest

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 …

Read moreFAC Sues CA Attorney General to Force Disclosure of Police Misconduct Files

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 …

Read moreFAC, Media Coalition Notch Important Victory in Growing Police Transparency Fight

Nearly 300 pages of previously secret documents became public yesterday after the First Amendment Coalition (FAC) filed a motion to unseal records regarding Gov. Jerry Brown’s effort to pardon former state Sen. Rod Wright. The documents—some still heavily redacted—had been originally filed under seal as part of a flawed, longstanding practice in which all papers filed …

Read moreFAC Forces Disclosure of CA Gov. Brown’s Request to Pardon Former State Sen. Wright

A coalition of media groups led by the First Amendment Coalition (FAC) today filed briefing in the California Supreme Court to oppose a police union’s effort to undermine the effectiveness of a new, landmark police transparency law. The law requires a wide range of records relating to police misconduct to be available to the public—a …

Read moreFAC, Media Coalition Oppose Last-Ditch Effort to Gut Landmark Police Transparency Law

The First Amendment Coalition is proud to announce the recipient of its 2018 Free Speech & Open Government Award is the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica, selected for its extensive use of public records to increase transparency around political appointees at the highest levels of government. This year’s award goes to ProPublica staffers Derek Kravitz, Al Shaw, …

Read moreProPublica Staffers Win 2018 FAC Award for “Trump Town” Investigative Series

Documents sought are currently barred from public view in the California Supreme Court The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) today filed a motion in the California Supreme Court to unseal records regarding Gov. Jerry Brown’s effort to pardon former state Sen. Rod Wright, who was convicted in 2014 on multiple felony counts, including perjury and voter …

Read moreFAC Seeks to Unseal Gov. Brown’s Request to Pardon Embattled Former State Senator

The First Amendment Coalition (FAC), joined by Working Partnerships USA (WPUSA), today sued the city of San Jose to force the disclosure of secret details of its negotiations to sell valuable public land to Google. The suit, filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court, seeks records under the California Public Records Act (CPRA) relating to the …

Read moreFAC and Local Community Group Sue San Jose Over Secret Negotiations With Google