Trummel v. Mitchell: 1st Amendment Issue
Declan, this is not an electronic issue, but Trummel v. Mitchell, in Washington State, goes to the heart of a question raised on politech: Who is a "legitimate" journalist? See: http://www.contracabal.org/806-00.html Briefly, Paul Trummel, a retired journalist from Britain, with impeccable credentials, discovered what he believed to be fraud and abuse in the management of his moderate-income retirement home. He published leaflets and distributed them to his neighbors. The management got an order of protection against him, effectively banning him from his home and preventing him from approaching his neighbors. He argued freedom of the press, but the judge ruled that he was not a journalist, as he was retired and not employed by any "legitimate" publication. Therefore, the judge held, he lacked protection of the First Amendment and was guilty of harassment. In trying to get the order rescinded, Trummel has a pro bono attorney and an amicus brief by the ACLU. He'd like political civil-libertarian support, as well as financial contributions for his attorney. Solidarity, -- Vicki Richman vicric@vicric.com http://vicric.com **********
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Vicki Richman