First Amendment News

NewsNation journalist Evan Lambert won a $80,000 settlement for injuries suffered during his arrest for broadcasting live from a press conference about an Ohio train derailment. The Ohio attorney general earlier announced the dismissal of the charges and said Lambert was acting in a way consistent with his role as a reporter. (Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, February 7, 2024) Lambert received $80,000 for his injuries and $32,000 for legal fees. The Reporters

Former head of Project Veritas James O”Keefe settled a lawsuit brought by an Erie Pennsylvania postmaster in response to a false claim by a postal worker of voter fraud in 2020. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. (NBC News, February 5, 2024, by Ryan J. Reilly) Postmaster Robert Weisenbach said he had to leave his home after one of his workers claimed falsely that the postmaster tampered with mail-in ballots, and his address

Two free press advocates in The Hill, February 1, 2024, see the PRESS Act as an overdue nonpartison solution to a problem that threatens all political parties. Clayton Weimers of Reporters Without Borders USA and Seth Stern of the Freedom of the Press Foundation write, “Administrations from both parties have abused their power to retaliate against journalists who have criticized them or exposed their secrets.” They cite instances of bad acting from the Obama, Trump

Chula Vista officials have not been archiving public records requested under the California Public Records Act. The result is that if anyone wants to revisit a record, they must submit a new request. (The San Diego Union-Tribune, February 4, 2024, by Jeff McDonald) In a victor for transparency, the California Legislature released sexual harassment records promised four years ago. Although state officials claimed there had been no “substantiated” complaints since 2020, the newly released records

The Oregonian lost a battle as a federal judge ordered them not to publish documents it obtained legally on a sex discrimination suit against Nike. An attorney representing the plaintiffs against Nike sent the documents to a reporter then wanted them back. The attorney iled a motion for the return of the documents. (Yahoo!Finance, January 29, 2024, by The Associated Press) The Oregonian plans to appeal the judge’s order contending that it is a violation