First Amendment News

Stimulus fund recipients post spending records online

Those awarded stimulus fund contracts are complying with government requirements to post the details of their expenditures online, so far submitting 112,000 reports to the data collection Web site. -DB NextGov October 14, 2009 By Aliya Sternstein Stimulus fund recipients appear to be complying with requirements to report their spending activities online. As of Wednesday recipients had submitted 112,000 spending reports to the federal government’s data collection Web site, according to the board monitoring stimulus

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Jury reinforces tenant that truth is defense in libel cases

In a closely watched trial, a Massachusetts jury found that a truthful mass e-mail criticizing an office supply company employee is not libelous because it was not sent with actual malice. A federal appeals court had found that the truth can be libelous. -DB The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press October 13, 2009 By Cristina Abello A Massachusetts jury has decided that a truthful mass e-mail criticizing the former employee of an office

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Chances fading of reining in government secrecy granted under Patriot Act

Civil libertarians may be losing the battle to curb  government excess as the Obama administration is loathe to relinquish the power to operate in secrecy without the checks provided by judicial oversight. -DB Center for Internet and Society Stanford Law School Commentary October 7, 2009 By Larry Downes “Patriotism,” as Samuel Johnson famously said, “is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” In that sense, perhaps the USA PATRIOT Act is appropriately named after all. In

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Telcos losing ground in attempts to withhold records of their lobbying government in warrantless spying case

A federal district judge ruled September 24 that the government had to release the names of telecom employees who lobbied the Justice Department and White House to legislation to grant them legal immunity in their warrantless spying on American citizens. The White House is appealing the decision. -DB Wired October 8, 2009 By Ryan Singel AT&T was the first of many telcos sued for helping the NSA spy on Americans without warrants The Department of

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Omaha students sue after suspensions for wearing “R.I.P.” T-shirts to honor murdered fellow student

Students suspended for wearing a T-shirt reading “R.I.P.” to honor a fellow student killed for refusing to join a gang are suing their high school in federal court for violating their First Amendment rights. The school says they suspended the students for using gang slang, “R.I.P.”, on their T-shirts. -DB Courthouse News Service October 13, 2009 By Kelly Vangilder OMAHA, Neb. (CN) – Students say their high school unconstitutionally suspended them for wearing T-shirts with the message

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