Supreme Court Rejects Fifth Circuit Ruling in Protest Lawsuit

The case against Black Lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson will be sent back to the Fifth Circuit for further review. A Louisiana officer claims Mckesson should be held liable for an injury caused by the actions of an anonymous protester, even though he had no involvement in the crime.

Federal Judge Denies Trump’s Request for DOJ to Intervene in Defamation Suit

The judge rejected the argument that the president was acting in his official capacity when he denied E. Jean Carroll's rape allegations. Had the Department of Justice taken over the President's defense, it would likely have spelled the end of the case.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner Threaten to Sue Lincoln Project Over Times Square Billboards

To satisfy the standard for defamation, Ms. Trump and Kushner would have to prove that the Lincoln Project made false and defamatory statements knowingly, a standard few commentators think the couple is going to meet. Instead, multiple experts see their actions as an attempt to weaponize the law to intimidate critics for protected expression.

Campus Speech Group Publishes Report on Internet Expression

The report details 35 incidents of universities punishing students or faculty for speech online, and 10 universities with policies in place that FIRE says give administrators “immense power to punish large swaths of speech.” According to the advocacy group, many public universities are acting like the First Amendment applies differently to online speech. 

Justice Department Sues Author of “Melania and Me” For Violating Non-Disclosure Agreement

The lawsuit says that Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a longtime friend of Melania’s, failed to obtain written permission before publishing “Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the first lady.” The book details some of the work she did as a volunteer advisor to the First Lady, and at times paints a less than flattering portrait of Melania.

Ninth Circuit Reinstates Injunction Barring Federal Agents from Assaulting Journalists

The ninth circuit reinstated a lower court's injunction exempting journalists and legal observers from general dispersal orders. Many reporters say they have been assaulted by federal agents despite remaining several feet away from protests.

Netflix is Indicted By Texas Grand Jury For Promoting “Lewd” Images of Children

A grand jury in Texas indicted Netflix for streaming “Cuties,” a French film that has some critics in the U.S. saying that the film sexualizes young girls. Netflix called the charges without merit. "Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children," the company said.

Universities Halt Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs, Fearing Loss of Federal Funds

At least two universities have postponed activities that may violate the President Sept. 22 directive against "race and sex stereotyping." It's likely more will opt to cancel activities, rather than risk being cut off from federal funds.