FCC chair seeks Iran-style media obedience
Dear Friend of Press Freedom,
Estefany Rodríguez is free on bond, thanks to her lawyers and support from press freedom supporters like you. While we celebrate Rodríguez’s release, the government’s effort to deport her continues (you can speak out against it using our action center), and new threats to wartime reporting and Americans’ privacy are closing in. Read the latest on how you can protect the free press.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr seeks Iran-style media obedience
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr is again openly abusing his power, this time to attack news outlets that displeased President Donald Trump with their reporting on the war in Iran.
Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) Senior Adviser Caitlin Vogus wrote in The Guardian this week about how Trump and Carr apparently want a press that operates more like that in Iran: largely obedient, state-run broadcasters that air propaganda praising a supreme leader and his wars. Newsrooms, lawmakers, and the public must push back. We also discussed Carr’s unconstitutional antics on MeidasTouch’s Legal AF podcast.
Tell Congress: Reform Section 702
Next week, the House of Representatives is expected to vote to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act without making any changes to rein in the government’s power to spy on Americans without a warrant.
Section 702’s mass warrantless surveillance authority has a long history of abuse, including against journalists. Congress should not renew the law without significant reforms that will protect journalists and all Americans.
Use our action center to tell lawmakers not to reauthorize Section 702 of FISA without key privacy changes.
Trump’s massive, secret government database
FPF Daniel Ellsberg Chair on Government Secrecy Lauren Harper wrote in The Intercept this week about how the Trump administration is on its way to creating every authoritarian’s dream: A centralized database containing intimate details about every resident of this country.
Agencies are reportedly pooling vast amounts of people’s personal data to create a powerful tool that would empower the government to conduct previously unimagined levels of surveillance and harassment.
The public deserves to fully understand just how badly Americans’ data and privacy have been compromised. That’s why FPF is suing for documents behind the database.
Attorney discipline boards must step up
The D.C. Bar’s decision to initiate disciplinary proceedings against disgraced Department of Justice lawyer Ed Martin has been viewed by some as a triumph for the rule of law. Not so fast, we say.
Don’t get us wrong — Martin should be disbarred. But he can’t be the sole sacrificial lamb. There have been plenty of well-founded complaints against Trump administration lawyers filed in Washington and elsewhere, but few go anywhere.
FPF’s Chief of Advocacy Seth Stern wrote about disciplinary complaints filed by us and others against government officials and lawyers whose conduct threatens First Amendment rights. Hopefully, the Martin investigation is the start of attorney discipline boards showing some backbone.
Two new must-reads on free speech and digital freedoms
Two of the biggest names in digital rights have just dropped must-read books.
In “Transaction Denied,” FPF board President Rainey Reitman writes about the shadow world of financial censorship, examining how banks and payment intermediaries shape and censor speech, and gives her firsthand account of co-founding FPF. A portion of every book sale goes to support our work.
In “Privacy Defender,” Electronic Frontier Foundation Executive Director (and longtime FPF legal counsel) Cindy Cohn dives into her 30-year fight against electronic surveillance. Buy your copy today to learn about — and help protect — digital rights.
What we're reading
I asked why immigration officers tripled in 30 days. The answer: A $48,000 bill
A great way to deal with Freedom of Information Act stonewalling: Report the news you can and explain why the government’s bad faith stopped you from reporting more.
National parks employees say SFGate has been blacklisted by the Interior Department
Denying a media request because a ranger would need to speak Spanish — under the guise of “English is the official language of the U.S.” — is both wrong and plain dumb. Ojalá que no vengan con esas pendejadas la próxima vez.
CNN’s missed opportunity
The Ellisons are “willing to throw the economic interests of their news holdings under the bus if it boosts their other business before the Trump administration,” FPF’s Stern explained.
Governor Rhoden approves anti‑SLAPP law, 11 other justice measures
Good news: Gov. Larry Rhoden signed into law a bill protecting South Dakotans from strategic lawsuits against public participation. Red, blue, and purple states know there’s nothing partisan about protecting against anti-speech lawfare.
As Trump pushes deportations, immigration data becomes harder to find
The Trump administration undoubtedly knows that missing and inconsistent immigration data makes it harder for journalists to fact check government lies and inconsistencies.
Upcoming events
Join us at the events below; click on the flyers for more information, including on how to register.
FPF is proud to co-host the opening screening of “Steal This Story, Please!” — a documentary on journalist Amy Goodman and Democracy Now! FPF Executive Director Trevor Timm will deliver opening remarks, followed by a Q&A with Goodman and Oscar-nominated filmmakers Carl Deal and Tia Lessin.
Get your tickets today: Use code GOODMAN-15 for a $15 ticket.