First Amendment News

The blogger “Minerva” was ruled not to have maliciously spread false information on economic matters. The South Korean government had tried to convict him of damaging the public’s faith in the government. –DB The New York Times April 21, 2009 By Choe Sang-Hun SEOUL, South Korea — A blogger who criticized and angered the South Korean government but commanded a huge following online was freed from jail on Monday, after a court acquitted him of

To help citizens understand the complex information on the bailout posted on the government website, a coalition of open government and economic policy groups has set up a website with information and expert commentary. -DB Project on Government Oversight April 20, 2009 By Michael Smallberg Even though the Treasury Department recently revamped its website for the Financial Stability Plan, it would probably take an advanced degree in finance to truly understand what the government is

After a federal judge in Detroit ruled that Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter David Ashenfelter does not have to reveal his sources for a story about a failed terrorism prosecution, The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press issued a press release asserting the urgent need for a shield law to protect reporters and their sources so that reporters can confidently investigate matters of vital public interest. -DB The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press April

Responding to public outcry, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood rejected the Federal Aviation Administration’s proposal to keep bird strikes on airplanes secret. The decision comes after geese brought down a US Airways airplane on the Hudson River in January. -DB The Washington Post April 23, 2009 By Lois Romano Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood yesterday rejected a proposal by the Federal Aviation Administration to keep reports about bird strikes on airplanes secret. The FAA quietly posted the

The Supreme Court could add depictions of animal cruelty to the list of First Amendment exclusions as it grapples with the thorny problem of drawing a line between harmful and legitimate expressions. -DB First Amendment Center April 21, 2009 By Tony Mauro Analysis WASHINGTON, D.C. — The stage is set for the Supreme Court to add depictions of animal cruelty to the list of forms of expression that are not entitled to First Amendment protection.