News & Opinion

Fear of FOIA may force Obama to give up his beloved BlackBerry

Like many executives in his generation, President-elect Barack Obama is addicted to his BlackBerry, using it for near-constant communication by text messaging and email. Because many of those communications may be subject to the federal Freedom of Information Act, Obama is being advised to give up his PDA. This was not an issue for Obama the Senator, as Congress conveniently exempted itself from FOIA. But the President is covered. The New York Times November 16,

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A Prop. 8 campaign contribution prompts free speech, civil rights dispute

The artistic director of a musical theater resigns after campaign disclosures show that he contributed to the Prop. 8 campaign to ban same-sex marriage. A dispute ensues over the balancing act between free speech and civil rights, the Sacramento Bee reports. Theater felt growing pressure before artistic director quit mcrowder@sacbee.com Published Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008 The California Musical Theatre found itaself caught in a dramatic conflict between free speech and civil rights, a situation that

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West Covina city execs try to silence their critic, an outspoken city council member

By Ben Baeder, Staff Writer San Gabriel Valley Tribune 11/07/2008 WEST COVINA – Politics at City Hall are getting personal. Over the past two months, a councilman has sought police protection at public meetings, alleging he’s been intimidated by fellow council members. And two top city staff members filed complaints about the same councilman, with one demanding $3 million and a guarantee he won’t be fired until he is 60. At the center of all

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Oakland reporter's videotape is seized by police, then returned

Oakland Tribune Contra Costa Times 11/03/2008 The Oakland Police Department on Monday returned a videotape confiscated last week from an Oakland Tribune staffer by Oakland school district police during an immigration rights protest at the Fruitvale BART station. The Alameda County District Attorney’s office has not decided yet if any charges will be brought against Tribune videographer Jane Tyska, who was detained during the protest on Friday. But that office authorized the return of the

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Supremes to decide complex 1st Amendment case focused on government speech

The Supreme will decide a free speech case in which a municipality rejected the offer of an obscure religious sect to place a religious sculpture in a public park that was already home to a Judeo-Christian religious symbol: the Ten Commandments. The sect views the park as a public forum to which the sect’s religious symbol must be given equal access. The municipality argues that its own free speech rights are abridged if it is

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