Contemplating Media & the First Amendment
Last week, PEN America, a nonprofit that works to defend free expression, sued President Donald Trump in federal court. The lawsuit claims Trump’s statements and actions violate the First Amendment protections of free speech and a free press. “PEN wants the court to block the president from using his office to retaliate against media criticism,”... Continue Reading →
In my last blog post I wrote about Jamal Khashoggi and his death. This week his death understandably is taking up the news headlines. The Saudis have confirmed Khashoggi’s death but now he is to blame. Apparently Khashoggi fought in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul which led to him being killed. The questions we need... Continue Reading →
President Trump seems to have already moved on to his next target.Senator Elizabeth Warren sits in the hot seat as Trump continuously mocks her for claiming to be of Native American descent. If you remember back to last year, Trump was heard referring to Warren as “Pocahontas” during an event at the White House held... Continue Reading →
A federal judge dismissed adult film star Stormy Daniels’ defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump yesterday in Federal court. Daniels claimed Trump’s tweet attacked the veracity of her account of the incident and that his tweet was false, defamatory and charged her with a serious crime. In an order handed down Monday, U.S. District Judge... Continue Reading →
On October 15, Judge James Otero dismissed Stormy Daniels' defamation lawsuit and ordered her to pay for his legal fees. This lawsuit came about after Daniels claimed in an interview with Anderson that a man approached her and her infant daughter in a parking lot and threatened them both unless they left Trump alone. Trump... Continue Reading →
The death of the Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been in the news recently. The Turkish government said Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. At first, no one confirmed if he was dead, although it was suspected. Apparently Khashoggi went to the consulate to arrange for a marriage certificate but never came out. Trump said Khashoggi’s death was the possibility of... Continue Reading →
In July of 2015, a virtual hacking went down in the books as debatably an unethical breach of journalistic code. Ashley Madison, a dating website used by millions of people, was hacked exposing the private information of its users. Not only were anonymous covers blown, dates of birth, personal affairs, and credit card numbers were... Continue Reading →
An informed public is a part of the foundation of a functioning democracy. Confidentiality plays a significant role in helping the press inform the public of government conduct. Confidential sources have led to the publication of seminal news stories, significantly impacting the public’s participation in our democracy. For example, journalists have relied on confidential sources... Continue Reading →
What do you get when you mix portable technology that can capture and disseminate high-definition footage with the touch of a button and a growing national concern about police accountability? Anyone who has seen the news coverage of a police brutality case over the last few years knows the answer: bystander cell phone footage of... Continue Reading →
With modern technological advances happening all the time, it is not surprising that the First Amendment is being considered a factor in journalistic approaches to covering leaks. Ashley Madison, an online dating website that specifically targets married adults who want to have affairs, was hacked in July 2015. This hack leaked tens of millions of user’s... Continue Reading →
Free Press Free Speech 