The state of the First Amendment is perpetually in flux and it’s walking on shaky ground going into 2019. Trump Administration tariffs on imported Canadian newsprint in 2018 kicked off a series of layoffs at publications, reduced printing frequencies and forced closure of several smaller publications. The U.S. International Trade Commission overturned the tariffs this [...]
Jim Acosta isn't the first and surely won't be the last reporter President Trump insults as a “rude, terrible person,” at a press conference, but this time the President's disdain for the media reached a new low. After a heated exchange, the White House pulled Acosta's press pass, claiming that he “put hands” on the [...]
First Amendment freedom of the press and freedom of speech are not universal. The more we learn about the disappearance of The Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi after entering Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul on October 2, the more we’re reminded of that. Khashoggi is not a United States citizen, though he was a resident [...]
The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) recently overturned the Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 30 percent on Canadian newsprint. The President’s policy went into effect in early 2018. The ITC ruled that Canadian imports don't cause "material injury" to U.S. paper producers. There is potential that the ruling will be [...]
The Commerce Department will soon decide whether or not to lift tariffs of up to 30 percent on uncoated Canadian paper that have been crippling already struggling newspapers across the country. The First Amendment right to Freedom of the Press is at stake here and Americans should be very concerned. Newsprint costs for large metro [...]
The new NFL rule on kneeling allows players to protest the national anthem… just not on the field. They can remain in the locker room for the song, but if players insist (per owners’ rules) on taking a knee during the national anthem, their team will be fined. On the surface this might seem like [...]
Last June the Supreme Court’s unanimous answer was NO. A band named “The Slants” was denied government trademarking because the name could be seen as demeaning to Asian Americans. They felt trademark denial based on their name violated their First Amendment right to freedom of speech. The Supreme Court ruled that viewpoint discrimination - even [...]
The Supreme Court is currently hearing a case from Minnesota man Andrew Cilek. Cilek was temporarily prevented from voting in 2010 because his “Please I.D. Me” pin - as well as his shirt and other buttons - violated the state’s policy, which forbids political wear from polling places. This is touted as an effort to [...]
April Ryan April Ryan has been a White House correspondent for the past 21 years and continues to fight for transparency from the Trump Administration. She shook her head at Sean Spicer when he refused to give a clear answer about Russia and at his insinuation that she was pushing her own agenda [...]
