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Cases Press Release

Court Rules Santa Clara County Must Disclose Parcel Map Database to California First Amendment Coalition

[…] analyses. Think Google Earth but with a local focus and specialized data. Used together with other publicly available data, the basemap allows citizens to monitor their local government on matters ranging from property tax assessments to zoning variances to street repairs. The basemap will also enable journalists to do reporting that would not otherwise […]

June 2, 2009
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Blog

Corporate transparency, long cherished as an essential feature of US capital markets, is giving way to the secrecy of “private equity” deals. Big mistake.

[…] buyers, professional investors insist on transparency so they can be sure not to overpay. But as owners, they favor a respite from the scrutiny of analysts and government. So-called "alternative investment" firms—private equity, venture capital and hedge funds—resist mightily any government regulation that would make them more transparent regarding the investments they make and […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
June 2, 2009
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CFAC files suit in affirmative action case to defend researcher’s academic freedom and oppose State Bar’s claim that it is above the law of access

[…] implications for higher education. To complete the research, which has been the subject of many scholarly articles and intense academic interest, he needs access to a California government database. So why has the State Bar, which controls the database, denied Sander and his research team access to the records? Because Sander’s subject is affirmative […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
June 3, 2009
Latest News

Blog

Are journalists who use leaked records engaging in the “fencing” of stolen property?

Some government officials have been pushing the theory that journalists who write stories based on leaked classified documents---think Glenn Greenwald, for example---are engaging in the "fencing" of stolen property. Mike Rogers, the Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee, made this point yesterday when questioning FBI Director James Comey at a congressional hearing. Rogers […]
- Press Freedom
February 4, 2014
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Blog

A California Perspective on AG Alberto Gonzales’ Problems

[…] assessments of prosecutors’ performance, and discussions of political strategy. As such, it is doubtful they ever would have seen the light of day in the Golden State. Government officials in California would block disclosure by invoking the "deliberative process privilege," California’s counterpart to the "executive privilege" in the federal system. But in Washington the […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
June 2, 2009
Latest News

2020 and beyond — the fight goes on

A letter from Executive Director David Snyder Dear Friends of the First Amendment, 2020 has been a critical year for combatting government secrecy and threats to the First Amendment. Americans are demanding answers about police misconduct, the government’s response to the global pandemic, attacks on protesters and journalists — the list goes on. FAC […]

November 20, 2020
Asked and Answered

CPRA Newsgathering

Foundation that gives millions to county agency claims CPRA doesn’t apply to them

[…] foundation at the end. It was started by a judge who formerly oversaw foster care court. I cannot find any evidence that the foundation is receiving any government money but I’m only working off of IRS documents. The foundation has given over seven million to the shelter and has helped erect a new building […]

October 16, 2013
Asked and Answered

Bagley-Keene Act Brown Act

Bagley-Keene Act application not as broad as Brown Act

[…] similar to those put in place by the Brown Act. However, the Bagley-Keene Act is narrower in its application than the Brown Act. This is because State government is dominated by executive agencies that are not required to conduct business at meetings (and therefore are not subject to the Bagley-Keene Act), and by the […]

July 19, 2012
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Is a weekly Rotary Club meeting a “Social or Ceremonial” event governed by the Brown Act?

[…] the legislative body, the Brown Act might nevertheless be implicated. Holme Roberts & Owen LLP is general counsel for the First Amendment Coalition and responds to First Amendment Coalition hotline inquiries. In responding to these inquiries, we can give general information regarding open government and speech issues but cannot provide specific legal advice or representation.

August 20, 2010
Asked and Answered

First Amendment

Union attorney didn’t defend my free speech rights

Government regulation of employee speech implicates First Amendment issues and is sometimes unconstitutional. The question usually boils down to the "'balance between the interests of the [employee], as a citizen, in commenting upon matters of public concern and the interest of the State, as an employer, in promoting the efficiency of the public […]

August 2, 2011