First Amendment News

The editorial board of The Cavalier Daily, September 29, 2021, argues that the new University of Virginia rule limiting the size of signs on dorm doors runs afoul of student rights of free expression. The rule was adopted this year after room signs last year criticized the University’s history of slavery and exclusivity. The editorial argues that the size restrictions to a standard sheet of 8 by 11 inch paper was too small to be

Fox News opted to silence Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani for three months presumably for his ceaseless mouthing of baseless theories about the theft of the 2020 presidential election. Dominion Voting Systems is suing Fox and Giuliani for $1.3 billion over the bogus claim that the company’s machines were instrumental in swinging the election to Joe Biden. (Business Insider, September 24, 2021, by Tom Porter) In a court filing, Fox said they were protected by the

A federal judge ruled that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection must release rules for spying on social media users. The government argued the release would reveal law enforcement techniques that bring criminals to justice. In reviewing the rules, the judge found no revelations of techniques that would help criminals. (Courthouse News Service, September 22, 2021, by Nicolas Iovino) Civil liberties activists criticized the border patrol for invading traveler and immigrant social media account with

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily grounded news outlet drones on the southern border requiring the outlets to apply for waivers to continue operations. Infowars filed suit claiming the waiver process constituted prior restraint. (Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, September 27, 2021, by Grayson Clary) The FAA grounded the drones in reaction to images disseminated by Fox News of thousands of migrants at the border. (The Blaze, September 17, 2021, by Paul Sacca)

Ex-President Donald Trump filed another lawsuit, this time charging The New York Times, three reporters and his niece with smuggling tax records out of an attorney’s office for use in a Times story and a book. Trump claimed the reporters conspired with niece Mary Trump to violate a confidentiality agreement of May 2001. (Daily Beast, September 22, 2021, by Maxwell Tani and Harry Siegel) Times reporters David Barstow, Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner won a