Q: Can I request to have an agenda mailed to me at the time of posting? And what is the time frame? A: The Brown Act provides that: “[a]ny person may request that a copy of the agenda, or a copy of all the documents constituting the agenda packet, of any meeting of a legislative body be mailed to that person. . . . Upon receipt of the written request, the legislative body or its
Backers of Prop 8, the 2008 California initiative that banned same-sex marriage, are asking the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to exempt the names of contributors to the ballot measure from disclosure after they have been subjected to harassment and threats. One of the judges hearing the appeal said the names were already out on the Internet in compliance with court order. (San Francisco Chronicle, October 12, 2013, by Bob Egelko) A lawyer for
The Obama administration’s mass surveillance is a threat to journalism according to a 15 page letter sent to an administration study group on intelligence and communication. Scholars, journalists and the Columbia Journalism School and the MIT Center for Civic Media sent the letter that shows how current activities of the National Security Agency contradict Justice Department policy published in July after the Associated Press debacle. (Tow Center for Digital Journalism, October 10, 2013, by Tow
With some justices warning that the wealthy can corrupt the political system and others citing the First Amendment, the Supreme Court seemed poised to rule 5-4 to strike down federal election campaign spending limits during the hearing on McCutcheon v. FEC. Federal law now limits individual giving to $123,200 over a two-year election cycle. (McClatchyDC, October 8, 2013, by Michael Doyle) Commentator Dahlia Lithwick blasted the court majority under the headline “Poor Little Rich Guys
California Supreme Court justices seemed receptive to releasing racial and academic data withheld by the State Bar. Backed by the First Amendment Coalition, a UCLA law professor is seeking the information to test a theory about the preparation of minority students. Even if the court rules that there is a public interest in disclosure, the Bar could still withhold it to contest whether disclosure would violate privacy agreements with applicants to the Bar. (San Francisco