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Recent news
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News stories recently posted throughout the First Amendment Center Online.
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Idaho election law unfair to independents, federal court finds
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Magistrate judge sides with Arizona resident who claimed he was unfairly barred from collecting signatures in Idaho to get independent presidential candidate on state ballot.
04.20.10
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Federal judge upholds Ore. petition restrictions
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Plaintiffs had argued that 2007 law regulating paid signature-gatherers violated their First Amendment right to engage in political speech.
03.25.10
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Plaintiffs can't remain anonymous while suing schools
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9th Circuit affirms dismissal of challenge to Kamehameha Schools' Hawaiian-preference admissions policy.
03.03.10
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Mass. high court: Journalist can't invoke anti-SLAPP law
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Unanimous decision allows real-estate developer to continue defamation lawsuit against Boston newspaper reporter.
02.02.10
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High court to decide if petition signers' names are public
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Gay-rights opponents in Washington state argue that publicity about them would lead to harassment.
01.15.10
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Congressman introduces federal anti-SLAPP bill
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By David L. Hudson Jr. Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen's spokesman says measure would provide protection for people exercising First Amendment rights.
12.24.09
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ACLU challenges Neb. ballot-access requirements
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Group says changes made to state law in recent years are keeping independent candidates and initiatives off the ballot, thereby infringing on protected political speech.
12.17.09
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Split decision keeps N.C. ballot challenge alive
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Court of Appeals upholds state law that forces third political parties to collect tens of thousands of signatures to get on ballot, but parties will appeal.
10.21.09
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High court justice halts release of petition signers' names
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Anthony Kennedy temporarily blocks 9th Circuit's decision that Washington officials can I.D. those who signed ballot measure on gay rights.
10.20.09
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9th Circuit: State can I.D. domestic-partner petition signers
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Federal judge had held that releasing names could chill First Amendment rights of people supporting Washington's Referendum 71 ballot initiative.
10.16.09
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Federal judge fines anti-Obama 'birther' attorney $20K
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Scathing 43-page order says California lawyer and dentist Orly Taitz filed 'frivolous' litigation, tried to misuse federal courts to push a political agenda.
10.15.09
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Lobbyist fundraising often undisclosed
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AP review finds that few members of Congress are reporting lobbyist help despite new law that was supposed to shed light on ties between lawmakers, capital's influence brokers.
09.17.09
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Wash. voters to decide fate of expanded domestic partnerships
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Group says it won't appeal judge's ruling allowing referendum on new law, which would provide more legal rights for gay couples.
09.10.09
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D.C. Circuit upholds lobbying-disclosure law
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Three-judge panel finds there is nothing unconstitutional about congressional effort 'to shine increasing light on the efforts of paid lobbyists to influence the public decisionmaking process.'
09.09.09
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Federal agencies disclose few meetings with lobbyists
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Paucity of reporting — 197 contacts across all agencies since February — masks activities by lobbyists, clients eager to obtain stimulus money for their projects.
09.01.09
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Supporters of gay partnerships sue to stop Wash. referendum
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Lawsuit claims officials have accepted thousands of signatures that aren't in compliance with state law; meanwhile, campaign-finance panel rejects bid to keep initiative donors' names secret.
08.31.09
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Ohio law violates ex-legislator's right to lobby
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Federal judge's ruling clears way for Tom Brinkman Jr. to work unpaid for anti-tax group he created.
08.06.09
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Federal judge halts release of Wash. referendum signatures
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Gay-rights supporters had planned to publish online the names of everyone who signed petitions seeking to force public vote on new domestic-partnership law.
08.02.09
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Groups sue to overturn Pa. voter-soliciting law
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Legal director for ACLU, which filed suit on behalf of ACORN, says statute used to prosecute voter-registration workers imposes 'major burden on constitutionally protected political activity.'
07.26.09
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Official says Conn. can't enforce lobbying law against diocese
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Ethics office to drop investigation of Catholic Church and its activity related to March 11 rally at state Capitol.
07.02.09
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Okla. governor faulted for vetoing petition bill
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Gov. Henry says measure to protect petition-gatherers from harassment would have interfered with other First Amendment freedoms.
06.14.09
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Federal court tosses W.Va. ban on petitions in parks
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Judge rules state agency violated residents' free-speech rights by prohibiting political party from gathering signatures in state park.
06.13.09
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White House rewrites curbs on lobbying stimulus
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New rules broaden some restrictions — but loosen others — regarding conversations with administration officials on some projects.
06.04.09
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Catholic diocese sues Conn. over lobbying laws
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Church objects to being told it needs to register as lobbyist to hold rallies and use its Web site to oppose legislation.
06.01.09
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Ex-Ohio legislator challenges state's lobbying law
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Tom Brinkman Jr. argues that rules, which bar him from working as unpaid lobbyist for anti-tax group he helped create, violate free-speech, petition rights.
05.13.09
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Feds dropping charges against pro-Israel lobbyists
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Critics had accused government of trying to criminalize back-channel discussions between officials, lobbyists and reporters that are commonplace in nation's capital.
05.01.09
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Groups ask White House to rescind stimulus-lobbying ban
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Critics of policy say it violates lobbyists' free speech and still allows others seeking money from economic package to access administration officials.
04.02.09
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Limits on lobbying spark free-speech concerns
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New rules bar lobbyists from having conversations or meetings with federal officials about specific stimulus-package projects.
03.27.09
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High court refuses to hear Ariz. appeal in ballot-rules case
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9th Circuit had sided with Ralph Nader, overturning state law that banned out-of-state petition circulators, set June deadline for signature submissions for independent candidates.
03.09.09
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Pa. woman, mayor spar over right to petition
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Wilkes-Barre resident's fight to save firehouse raises First Amendment question: When citizens petition their government, can government push back?
01.12.09
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