First Amendment News

Looking for ways to remain financially sound in a tough market, the Associated Press is threatening legal action if Web sites and search engines like Google and Yahoo! publish articles or their summaries from news organizations without permission or payment. -DB New York Times April 7, 2009 By Richard Perez-Pena Taking aim at the way news is spread across the Internet, The Associated Press said on Monday that Web sites that used the work of

“Jefferson Muzzles,” the Thomas Jefferson Center dubious distinction awards, went overwhelmingly to school administrators, but the Center also cited both political parties for stifling free speech at their national conventions. -DB First Amendment Center April 7, 2009 By David L. Hudson Jr. School administrators once again dominated the list of winners of the annual “Jefferson Muzzle” awards, unveiled today by the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression. This is the 18th year

Named recently to the post of Inspector General of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Roslyn A. Mazer is expected to facilitate requests for information executive agencies have withheld as classified. -DB Secrecy News Federation of American Scientists April 6, 2009 The Director of National Intelligence last week named Roslyn A. Mazer of the Department of Justice to be the next Inspector General of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. What

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has introduced new ways for the public to receive and analyze pollution data and is also asking for ideas to improve the Toxics Release Inventory program. -DB OMB Watch April 7, 2009 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking steps toward improving public access to pollution information and is seeking ideas from the public for improving the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program. During a national conference on TRI

The Obama administration has asked the court to dismiss a suit challenging surveillance of millions of American citizens, arguing that litigation over wiretapping would reveal “state secrets.” –DB Electronic Frontier Foundation Press Release April 6, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO – The Obama administration formally adopted the Bush administration’s position that the courts cannot judge the legality of the National Security Agency’s (NSA’s) warrantless wiretapping program, filing a motion to dismiss Jewel v. NSA late Friday. In