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The U.S. is alone among western democracies in protecting “hate speech.” Chalk it up to a healthy fear of government censorship.

Peter Scheer March 14, 2011

BY PETER  SCHEER–An inebriated John Galliano, sitting in a Paris bar, unleashes an anti-semitic rant (“I love Hitler”) that is captured on a cellphone camera and posted on the internet. Within days the Dior designer is not only fired from his job, but is given a trial date to face criminal charges for his offensive remarks. In the same week, the U.S. Supreme Court extends First Amendment protection to the homophobic proclamations of a fringe

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Federal court rules reporter not have to testify in Boston civil lawsuit

donal brown March 11, 2011

A Boston Globe reporter was absolved from testifying in a lawsuit brought by a street performer contesting the city’s limits on the space allotted to performing. A federal district judge said the reporter’s privilege under the First Amendment prevailed so he did not have to disclose information obtained through news gathering. From The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, March 9, 2011, by Kristen Rasmussen. Full Story

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California: Montebello councilwoman alleges open meeting violation

donal brown March 11, 2011

A Montebello councilwoman is alleging that the city council made open meeting errors in investigating the transfer of funds to off-the-books bank accounts. The councilwoman claims there were conflict of interest issues and that when the council put the city attorney in charge, there was no vote on the matter. -db From The Los Angeles Times, March 8, 2011, by Jessica Garrison. Full Story

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Wisconsin legislature’s ‘hastily convened’ meeting condemned by state FOI Council

FAC March 10, 2011

Declaring yesterday’s unexpected meeting by the Wisconsin legislature “precisely the sort of action the state’s Open Meetings Law was intended to preclude,” Bill Lueders President of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, issued a statement of condemnation over what he believes are the legislature’s violations of the open meeting laws.   The last-minute meeting resulted in many of the state’s public employees losing their ability to bargain collectively. Here is the statement in full as posted on

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Restrictive open records law delayed in Utah

FAC March 9, 2011

A bill that sailed through the Utah legislature in 72 hours and would have restricted access to government documents has been put on hold at the request of the state’s governor. According to the Salt Lake Tribune the bill would “prohibit the disclosure of text messages and instant messages, allow government agencies to charge fees that can include administrative and overhead costs and require requesters wanting records protected by the government to show with a

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