Coalition News

FAC Prompts Disclosure of California Governor Jerry Brown’s Social Media ‘Block Lists’

The First Amendment Coalition today released documents from California Governor Jerry Brown showing that he blocked more than 1,500 individual accounts on his Twitter and Facebook accounts–a practice that excluded those people from participating in a vital forum for political discussion and debate surrounding the state’s highest elected official. In releasing the documents to FAC, the Governor’s office said Brown does not “currently block or mute any Twitter or Facebook account.”  The Governor’s office did

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Amicus Briefs Digest, Sept. 2017

Here are amicus briefs and/or letters FAC has either authored or joined since the last report: Amicus Briefs Authored By FAC Callaghan v. West Virginia Judicial Investigation Commission: FAC authored an amicus brief urging the United States Supreme Court to review and reverse a decision by the West Virginia Supreme Court imposing draconian penalties on a candidate for judicial office for statements he made during a political campaign. The Philadelphia firm of Schnader Harrison prepared

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Los Angeles Settles Suit Filed By FAC, Agrees to Retain City Records For At Least Two Years

The city of Los Angeles has agreed it must retain city records for at least two years as part of a settlement agreement reached today with the First Amendment Coalition–a victory for transparency and government accountability in the nation’s second-largest city, and an assurance that the public will have the access to city records to which it is entitled under California  law. Under the settlement terms, the city agreed to amend its “records disposition schedules”–rules

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Clara Hogan Named as FAC’s Communications and Programs Director

The First Amendment Coalition is pleased to announce the appointment of Clara Hogan, a journalist and communications specialist with substantial experience in the nonprofit sector, as FAC’s Communications and Programs Director. After starting her career in journalism as the managing editor of the 50,000-circulation student newspaper of the University of Iowa, and serving as a journalism intern for Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Hogan served as a media strategist at the New America

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FAC Seeks Nominations for 2017 Free Speech & Open Government Award

The First Amendment Coalition is soliciting nominees for the FAC Free Speech & Open Government Award, given each year for performance of exemplary work in the arena of open government. Qualifications for the award are outstanding accomplishment, service or other contributions to “the people’s right to know” about government. The winner, or winners, could be a journalist, blogger, lawyer, news organization (print or digital), software developer or community activist. We wish to recognize an individual

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