First Amendment News

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) wants Congress to pass legislation to require the federal government to release details about the financial standing of thousands of political appointees. The  watchdog agency suggests releasing the appointees’ assets, debts and past salaries. The agency said the move was necessary to promote ethics in government and conflict-free leadership. (ProPublica, March 19, 2019, by Derek Kravitz) A GAO study showed that federal agencies are unable to consistently track political appointees

March 19, 2019 by donal brown Claims that releasing body cam videos of police officers would jeopardize ongoing investigations effectively blocks timely public access in cases of shootings and other uses of force. In North Carolina, the videos can only be released after a judge signs a court order.  (News & Record, March 16, 2019, by Ryan J. Foley of The Associated Press) States also employ other means to deny access including high fees and citing privacy

California Republican Devin Nunes is suing Twitter and its users for $250 million in damages, claiming that the users defamed him, with Twitter’s acquiescence, for political considerations. Nunes cited a number of tweets that accused him of criminal activities, made crude jokes about him, claimed he was voted “Most Likely to Commit Treason” in high school, and posted a cartoon of him engaging in a sexual act with Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Twitter

March 14, 2019 by donal brown A Madera County, California school superintendent is allowing two members of a gay rights group to publish quotes in the school yearbook after the American Civil Liberties Union sued on their behalf. The yearbook adviser said the quotes were “politically divisive.” The ACLU said they would continue the lawsuit until the district adopted policies protecting student advocacy of gay rights. (San Francisco Chronicle, March 10, 2019, by Bob Egelko) Even though