Reclaiming the Narrative: Defamation Lawsuits and the 2020 Election
Join us on May 19th for a FAW Public Forum conversation with Lyrissa Lidsky, RonNell Andersen Jones, and Jonathan Peters about Dominion and Smartmatic's defamation lawsuits challenging Fox News' election coverage. Is libel law the best way to tackle disinformation, or could this strategy unintentionally make it easier for bad actors to sue journalists?
Lawyer Who Frequently Represents Devin Nunes is Sanctioned for Filing Frivolous Defamation Suit
On May 4th, a federal judge in Maryland sanctioned Representative Devin Nunes’s longtime attorney, Steve Biss, for filing a “frivolous” defamation lawsuit against CNN.
Florida Governor Draws Criticism After Limiting Media Access to Bill Signing Ceremony
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed new voting legislation on May 6th. The bill signing was broadcasted live on Fox & Friends, a morning news program on Fox News Channel, but all other media outlets were denied access. The decision drew criticism from media organizations and First Amendment scholars.
Idaho Legislature Continues to Threaten Free Speech, Academic Freedom at State’s Public Universities
Controversy at the state legislative level in Idaho, regarding what may or may not be taught at the state’s public universities, presents an ongoing threat to free speech and academic freedom. It is also one of many recent instances nationwide where state legislatures have intruded upon institutional academic freedom as well as the individual rights of faculty members.
Justice Gorsuch Questions the Reduction of Parental Control in Cheerleader Case
A key argument advanced in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. over the frustrated cheerleader kicked off her squad for an off-campus social media post concerns that of parental rights. Brandi Levy vented her frustration at not making the varsity squad with a string of “f-bombs”on Snapchat. She made her now infamous post on a Saturday outside a convenience store with a friend.
Virginia Lieutenant Governor Candidate Files Defamation Lawsuit Concerning Anonymous Text Message
On May 4th, a candidate seeking the Republican nomination for Virginia Lieutenant Governor filed a defamation lawsuit against “Jane Doe,” after an anonymous text message was sent to convention delegates calling him a “gay Democrat.”
Wisconsin Public Schools Can Prohibit Students From Wearing Shirts with Guns, Judge Rules
A federal court ruled that two Wisconsin public schools that banned students from wearing clothing with depictions of firearms did not violate students' First Amendment rights. The decision to side with the school came as an unpleasant surprise to free speech scholars who thought the schools’ dress code policies were overly restrictive.
Akhil Reed Amar: “The Words that Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840”
In his newest book, The Words that Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation 1760-1840, Yale law professor and constitutional historian Akhil Reed Amar tells the story of the first 80 years of democratic debate in the United States. This excerpt focuses on the origins of America’s newspaper culture and the central role it played in forming our democracy.