First Amendment News

In ordering a Chicago reporter to submit all tapes and materials of anti-war protests, a federal judge found no constitutional basis for reporter’s privilege. -DB Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press May 8, 2009 By Samantha Fredrickson A reporter for a cable-access show in Chicago was ordered by a federal magistrate judge last week to hand over every video recording he made documenting anti-war protests from 2003 to 2005. The reporter, Martin Conlisk, was

A federal judge ruled that a Tennessee public school district cannot ban religious word in posters made for a student-led prayer event. -DB knoxnews.com May 6, 2009 NASHVILLE (AP)- Less than a year after a federal judge ruled the Wilson County school district illegally promoted religion, the same judge has ruled it can not ban religious phrases from student posters. The ruling comes in time for students at Lakeview Elementary School to promote their prayer

The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently reminded employees of their obligation to make decisions with the fullest possible public participation and the importance of making these decisions in a way that does put special interests above the public. -DB OMB Watch May 6, 2009 In a recent memorandum to employees, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) outlined broad principles of transparency that will govern the agency’s interactions with the

Senators Joseph Lieberman and Lindsey Graham have asked President Barack Obama stop the release of photos of detainee abuse they say will empower al-Qaeda and hurt the country’s image. -DB Secrecy News Federation of American Scientists May 7, 2009 The White House should intervene to block the impending release of certain photographs showing detainees abused by U.S. military personnel, Senators Joseph Lieberman and Lindsey Graham wrote in a letter to President Obama yesterday. Release of

Republican members of Congress are asking the Secretary of Defense to lift restrictions on information about budgets and inspections. The members are particularly interested in records of ship inspections and those pertaining to Uighur prisoners in Guantanamo who may be released into the United States. -DB Secrecy News Federation of American Scientists May 7, 2009 Questions of secrecy and disclosure are increasingly prominent in congressional interactions with the executive branch, particularly on the part of