First Amendment News

A San Diego water board has been charged with circumventing the Brown Act. In attempting to suspend a fellow board member, Mitch Beauchamp, the other members each sent a letter to the mayor. Since the letters were not discussed in an open meeting, Beauchamp’s lawyer is claiming either the board members illegally convened a secret meeting or conducted serial meetings. -DB San Diego Union-Tribune Feb. 14, 2009 By Tanya Sierra NATIONAL CITY — Sweetwater Authority

A new San Jacinto City Council member is contesting a council policy forbidding members to attend meetings of city committees to which they have not been appointed. The Brown Act states that a quorum of the council cannot meet without public notice. -DB The Valley Chronicle Feb. 13, 2009 By Charles Hand Steve Di Memmo is going outside the city in a quest for legal agreement with his position that he can attend meetings of

A bill to keep reporters from going to jail for refusing to reveal their sources was re-introduced in Congress this week. The bill was overwhelmingly approved by voting members last year but died at the end of the session under veto threats from President George W. Bush. –DB The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Feb. 11, 200 By Samantha Fredrickson WASHINGTON, D.C. -A federal shield law that would protect reporters from revealing confidential

A prominent lawyer argues that a state appellate court made the wrong call in reversing a lower court decision to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by a staunchly pro-Israel journalist against two critics. Sam Bayard argues in part that the contested statements against the journalist were reflective of strong emotions rather than factual statements and therefore libelous. -DB Citizen Media Law Project Feb. 12, 2009 By Sam Bayard On February 9, a California appellate court

A secret decision last September by the Tulare County Board of Supervisors to raise its own pay generated angry public reaction after it was revealed in January. This week the board reversed itself, the Visalia Times-Delta reported. – DR Board of Supervisors rescinds raises Supervisors vote to make pay-increase process more public BY VALERIE GIBBONS • vgibbons@visalia.gannett.com • February 11, 2009 Tulare County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to rescind its controversial 4.56 percent