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Public officials’ love of secrecy is no match for the public’s love to watch government decision-making up close. In California, democratic voyeurism prevails.

By Peter Scheer One of California's more remarkable political inventions is the requirement that lawmakers do their lawmaking in the open for all to see. Call it the people’s entitlement to democratic voyeurism: Members of city councils, county supervisors and school boards (among other local legislative bodies) must not only vote in public, they […]

June 2, 2009
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FAC News Press Release

ProPublica Staffers Win 2018 FAC Award for “Trump Town” Investigative Series

The First Amendment Coalition is proud to announce the recipient of its 2018 Free Speech & Open Government Award is the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica, selected for its extensive use of public records to increase transparency around political appointees at the highest levels of government. This year’s award goes to ProPublica staffers Derek Kravitz, Al […]

November 28, 2018
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Cases Press Release

Foreign media at Olympics urged to press home governments to demand China lift internet censorship

[…] urged news organizations to demand that their own governments, as participants in the Olympics, pressure China to end internet censorship. "US and other foreign media in China for the Olympics should not quietly go along with official policies that forbid free speech and the exchange of information," said Peter Scheer, the Coalition's executive director. […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
June 3, 2009
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Blog

NSA surveillance case reflects a growing distrust in the federal judiciary

[…] decision in the NSA surveillance case reflects a growing distrust in the federal judiciary of the Bush administration's expansion of executive power By Peter Scheer Three cheers for Vaughn Walker. Vaughn who? you ask. Until very recently, he was also unknown to lawyers and policy makers in the White House. But on July 20 […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
June 2, 2009
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Cases Press Release

Ninth Circuit Refuses to Rehear Honking-As-Speech Case

Attorneys Considering Appeal Before U.S. Supreme Court FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: [email protected] San Rafael, Calif. – On Monday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to rehear Porter v. Martinez, the case that challenges a California law banning the expressive use of car horns. In October 2017, Susan Porter was cited for violating Section 27001 […]
- Free Expression
May 23, 2023
Cases

Public Meetings

ACLU and First Amendment Coalition v. City of Fresno

With the ACLU of Northern California, FAC sued the City of Fresno for holding secret budget negotiations in violation of the Brown Act, California’s open meetings law for local governments.
- Government Transparency and Accountability
July 8, 2024
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New episode of ‘Civic’ podcast features FAC’s David Snyder on press protections at protests

[…] about the important role journalists play in documenting social justice movements, and the alarming frequency with which reporters and photographers faced arrest and injury by police " for just doing their job," as they covered Black Lives Matter protests over the last year. It’s against this backdrop that a bill is being considered by […]
- Press Freedom
June 11, 2021
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Blog FAC News

Moving On

[…] Directors that I will be stepping down at the end of the year. I will stay involved with FAC in significant (albeit non-managerial) ways---starting with our search for a new executive director. FAC is in a very strong position. Our programs are firing on all cylinders. In the coming weeks we will be filing […]

June 25, 2016
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Blog Cases

Most Wanted Secret Doc: Justice Dept Memo Analyzing Drone Strikes Against Suspected Terrorists

[…] Congress (all of whom were denied access). The memo is also sought in three FOIA lawsuits filed separately by the First Amendment Coalition (the organization I work for) in federal court in San Francisco, and by the New York Times and the ACLU in federal court in Manhattan. The Justice Department claims the very […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
August 27, 2012
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FAC News Press Release

Mel Opotowsky, 1931-2024

[…] the age of 92. We join his family, friends and many colleagues in mourning this loss, which leaves a big hole at FAC, where Mel fought passionately for the causes close to his (and our) heart – free expression, a free press, and the people’s right to know. Mel served on FAC’s board of […]

April 26, 2024