First Amendment News

King County in Washington state has agreed to pay a blogger $225,000 to settle a public records lawsuit over the county’s failure to release documents in 2004. Some see the award as a cautionary tale for government officials slow to observe open government laws. –DB The Seattle Times April 24, 2009 SEATTLE — Conservative blogger Stefan Sharkansky says King County has agreed to pay him $225,000 to settle a public records lawsuit over the county’s

The U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that a lawsuit alleging torture brought by detainees under the “extraordinary rendition” program could proceed over government objections that state secrets would be revealed. -DB The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press April 29, 2009 By Rory Eastburg The U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco (9th Cir.) yesterday reinstated a lawsuit brought by former detainees who claim they were tortured as part of the

A Berkeley Daily Planet writer says that the City Council is not allowing the public or the press enough notice of meetings on issues surrounding traffic concerns for a new building project. –DB The Berkeley Daily Planet Editorial April 30, 2009 By Becky O’Malley The long knives are starting to come out for West Berkeley, now that Downtown has been carved up. Two harbingers this week: There was a special meeting on Monday of the

An opponent of a proposed Target store plans may possibly take his complaint about a Brown Act violation to the state Attorney General office after the local prosecutor found there was not enough evident to back his claim. –DB Santa Cruz Sentinel April 29, 2009 By Ramona Turner SCOTTS VALLEY — There is “not enough evidence” that Mayor Randy Johnson broke any Brown Act laws when he told a vocal Target store opponent to stick

Last November OMB Watch and others presented their recommendations to Obama for immediate actions needed to insure open government. OMB Watch said that the administration has made significant progress in the first 100 days, but among other things its use of the state secret privilege was troubling. -DB OMB Watch April 28, 2009 WASHINGTON, D.C. — In November 2008, OMB Watch, together with a diverse set of organizations and individuals, presented Barack Obama (who was