ACLU Sues Indiana State Police For Restrictions on Anti-Death Penalty Protests
Anti-death penalty protesters want to stand vigil during executions outside the prison entrance but have been blocked by police since early July. The ACLU lawsuit says the 1.6-mile no-protest zone around the federal prison does not serve a significant government interest and should be struck down.
2020 Knight/Gallup Poll Shows Majority of Americans Worry About Political Bias in News
While the majority of Americans believe the press is important to maintain a free society, many are pessimistic about the media’s ability to publish objective news stories. Released on August 4, 2020, the report is based on the responses of 20,000 U.S. adults collected between November 2019–February 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic hit and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement.
DHS Reassigns Official Who Collected Intelligence Reports on Journalists and Protesters
While leading I & A, Brian Murphy compiled intelligence reports on two journalists–a New York Times reporter and Lawfare’s editor-in-chief– who had published leaked department documents. Murphy also compiled reports analyzing protesters' electronic messages that discussed tactics such as which routes to follow and how to avoid the police.
Ninth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Stormy Daniels Defamation Claim Against Trump
Though Daniels claimed that Trump’s use of the term “con job” implied that she had committed criminal fraud, the appeals court reasoned that this was only one of a number of possible ways to read the President's tweet. Ultimately, the appeals court ruled the tweet an opinion and, thus, not actionable.
(Available without registration!) Alex Jones and his website Infowars made repeated claims that the 2012 murder of 20 children and six adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut was a “giant hoax,” possibly instigating a number of his followers to harass the families of the victims. Does the First Amendment protect Alex Jones’ speech?
Trump Sued Again for Refusing to Unblock Certain Twitter Users
The lawsuit says that the President continues to exclude users who were blocked before his inaguration or cannot specify the tweet that provoked the block. According to the complaint, the President’s staff told the Knight Institute as recently as July 20nd that the President “does not intend to unblock persons who were blocked prior to his inauguration or who cannot identify a tweet that proceeded and allegedly precipitated the blocking.”
The Justice Department Abandons Effort to Censor Michael Cohen
Federal prosecutors say they will abandon efforts to prevent Michael Cohen from talking to the media and publishing his tell-all book on the president. The letter comes one week after Hellerstein ordered Cohen’s release from prison. Cohen was returned to prison after he refused to sign an agreement barring him from posting on social media, talking to the press, and releasing his forthcoming book on Trump.
ACLU of Oregon Sues Portland Police For Livestreaming Protests
The lawsuit claims that the filming of demonstrators violates a state law that prohibits collecting information about the political, religious, or social views of an individual or group who are not suspected of criminal activity. The practice could also discourage protesters from attending demonstrations to avoid state surveillance.