FIRE was the brainchild of University of Pennsylvania history professor Alan Charles Kors and Boston civil liberties lawyer Harvey A. Silverglate, who co-authored the 1999 book, The Shadow University: The Betrayal of Liberty on America’s Campuses.
Americans of both parties worry they’ll be canceled for making donations to a campaign or cause.Source: Political Giving Should Be Private
As anti-quarantine protests spread across America, so does the fight for individual liberty. At a time when government has never been more powerful, Americans from Pennsylvania to the California are right to question its limits.Source: COVID Protests: First Amendment Is an 'Essential' Service
WASHINGTON — In upstate New York, Travis Trudell got an alert on his phone Wednesday morning telling him the impeachment hearings had started. He turned on Disney Plus instead. In Wisconsin, Jerre Corrigan never considered watching. She spent the day giving a math lesson to third graders.Source: ‘No One Believes Anything’: Voters Worn Out by a Fog of Political News
Twitter has banned political ads, Facebook hasn't — who's in the right? There are powerful arguments on both sides, but the one thing they all have in common is the desire to strike some sort of balance between freedom of political speech and attempting to quell the flow of false information.Source: Silicon Valley congressman: Regulate political ads on Facebook just like copyright
The Campaign for Free Speech survey found that 51% of Americans say the First Amendment should be rewritten and 48% say that “hate speech” should be illegal.Source: 'Outdated' First Amendment should be rewritten, majority say
(Alfred Gescheidt/Getty Images) Former “dark money” giant Americans for Job Security has walked out from the shadows, disclosing its donors last week following years of complaints and lawsuits filed by ethics watchdogs.Source: GOP heavy hitters, Trump cabinet members revealed as donors to anti-Obama ‘dark money’ group
It won’t stop foreigners from meddling in U.S. elections, but it would traduce free speech.Source: Honest Ads Act Is False Advertising
“There is no question that public disclosure of donor identities burdens the First Amendment rights to free speech and free association” the federal judge wrote.Source: NY Ethics Law Requiring Issue Advocacy Groups to Disclose Donors Is Struck Down as Unconstitutional
An upcoming hearing is ominous for supporters of free speech.Source: FEC Chair Embarks Down the High-Tech Road to Censorship
As journalism blurs into partisan politics, the rules governing the latter are becoming unjustifiable.Source: End the Media’s Campaign Privilege
When Congress returns to business next week, it will take up legislative responses to foreign meddling in American elections.Source: 'Honest' political ads: Watch out, Drudge, you're next
America is awash in ugly, hateful speech. White nationalists march defiantly, and their slogans are echoed in murderous rampages. Government officials revel in disparaging the very people they patrol.Source: Don’t Use These Free-Speech Arguments Ever Again
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced Wednesday that it is seeking public comments on a rule-making petition that would define "valuable information" as an official campaign contribution that must be regulated.Source: FEC considers making "valuable information" a campaign contribution
California lawmakers, citing election integrity, are moving to ban the distribution of “deepfake” video or audio clips aimed at damaging political candidates, drawing condemnation from First Amendment supporters.Source: California is moving to ban deepfakes. What are they, anyway?
Some stories practically write themselves, the details simple and clear. This investigation, spurred by a reader’s tip, was no such story.Source: Hiding in Plain Sight: PAC-Connected Activists Set Up ‘Local News’ Outlets
Justice Clarence Thomas filed a solo opinion Tuesday that should appeal to President Trump. He said the high court should make it easier for public figures to sue for libel.Source: Clarence Thomas agrees with Trump that libel laws should be eased
Once upon a time, there was a fringe news outlet with a loud and dissenting opinion. A fatal shooting, it claimed, was not at all what it seemed to be: It was a hoax, orchestrated by some shadowy force—probably Communists—bent on replacing freedom with dictatorship.Source: Win or Lose, the Alex Jones Lawsuit Will Redefine Free Speech
NEWBURYPORT — Methuen Mayor James Jajuga's defamation lawsuit against Valley Patriot publisher Thomas Duggan will move forward, at least in part.Source: Judge advances portion of Jajuga's defamation lawsuit
It isn't your usual bill, the "For The People Act" introduced Friday by House Democrats. Also known as H.R. 1, symbolically their first legislation, it is a 571-page compendium of existing problems and proposed solutions in four political hot zones: voting, political money, redistricting and ethics.Source: House Democrats Introduce Anti-Corruption Bill As Symbolic First Act