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FIRST AMENDMENT
OF U.S. CONSTITUTION
Congress shall make
no law respecting an establishment of
religion,
or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or
abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press;
or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble,
and to petition the
Government for a
redress
of grievances.
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2017 MAJOR
SUPPORTERS
 
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LEARN ABOUT OUR ANNUAL NEW ENGLAND FIRST AMENDMENT INSTITUTE
NEW ENGLAND FIRST AMENDMENT AWARDS
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Local Lawyer Leads New England First Amendment Coalition | Community Advocate 3.13.17 Silverman joined the NEFAC board in 2010, and became its executive director in 2014. "NEFAC is an advocate for the First Amendment and the public's right to know. We seek to educate everyone - journalists and non-journalists alike - about their rights under the First Amendment. Much of our work is for the benefit of journalists because they are often the ones using freedom of information laws to obtain records and educate communities. But we provide resources to everyone. We're most concerned about threats to the press, free speech and the public's right to know."
Attacks on the Media Only Making Them Stronger | Roger Williams University 3.5.17 Jon Keller, political analyst for WBZ-TV, welcomed people to the New England First Amendment Coalition awards ceremony on Feb. 24 in Boston, saying: "Ladies, gentlemen, fellow enemies of the people - glad you could make it out today." Far from intimidating journalists with his attacks from the bully pulpit, President Donald J. Trump has lit a fire in the belly of the news industry. And ironically, his attempts to weaken the nation's media could end up making them stronger.
Exercising First Amendment Rights is a Team Sport | Roger Williams University 3.1.17 At a New England First Amendment Coalition event on Feb. 24, Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan began her keynote address by thanking the many journalism students in attendance, including eight students from Roger Williams University. "I admire the fact that you are making the foray into our somewhat treacherous waters at this particular time," Sullivan said. "We need you more than ever."
Recipients Call for Relentless Pursuit, Defense of the Truth | NENPA 2.26.17 With new threats to the First Amendment, journalism's role is more important than ever, Margaret Sullivan, media columnist for The Washington Post, told those attending the seventh annual New England First Amendment Coalition awards luncheon Friday, Feb. 24, in Boston.
A Change of Heart on White House Leaks | The Westerly Sun 2.27.17 NEFAC's Justin Silverman said, "Once the public has lost faith in the Fourth Estate, there is nothing to separate fact from fiction, truth from propaganda. Yes, we need to demand high standards and integrity from our press corps. But at the same time, we need to discard hollow accusations of 'fake news' and petty grievances with coverage. There's too much at stake to consider every critical news story as the work of dishonest politically driven reporters."
Northeastern University professor Dan Kennedy discusses 2017 New England First Amendment Awards honoree Margaret Sullivan of The Washington Post.
TGIF: 21 Things To Know About Rhode Island Politics & Media | RI Public Radio 2.24.17 Justin Silverman, executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition, said, 'President Trump's continued attacks on the media undermine the value of journalism in our country. A reporter's job isn't to pat the president on the back, but to instead pursue the truth, regardless of how it reflects on an administration. As the saying goes, democracy dies in darkness. Trump seems intent on discrediting the very people we rely on to shine light in those dark corners of government.'
Sun Journal Receives First Amendment Award | Sun Journal 2.25.17 The Sun Journal was awarded the Michael Donoghue First Amendment Award by the New England First Amendment Coalition on Friday. The award was given to the Lewiston newspaper during the annual New England Newspaper and Press Association convention. The freedom of information award is given each year to a New England journalist or team of journalists for a body of work that protects or advances the public's right to access information possessed by federal and state governments.
The New England First Amendment Coalition presented its top honor to Margaret Sullivan, the media columnist for The Washington Post. Sullivan accepted the Stephen Hamblett First Amendment Award on Friday before a large crowd of journalists, lawyers, educators, students, and media executives at NEFAC's annual awards luncheon at the Marriott Long Wharf.
On Friday I'll be emceeing the annual New England First Amendment Awards on behalf of the New England First Amendment Coalition, a group of citizens who, according to their mission statement, "believe in the power of transparency in a democratic society," and they work with others to preserve and promote access to public meetings and documents and proper compliance with freedom of information laws. It's an honor for me to be involved with this event because I strongly believe that the news media, whatever its failings, provides an essential service to our country, most notably skeptical oversight of what people with power are doing.
Trump Stoops to New Low with Denigration of Media
| Southern Rhode Island Newspapers 2.24.17 Justin Silverman, executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition, said, "President Trump's continued attacks on the media undermine the value of journalism in our country. A reporter's job isn't to pat the president on the back, but to instead pursue the truth, regardless of how it reflects on an administration. As the saying goes, democracy dies in darkness. Trump seems intent on discrediting the very people we rely on to shine light in those dark corners of government."
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We welcome contributions
to the NEFAC Report from journalists,lawyers, academics
or other advocates of
government transparency. If
you have something to add
to the conversation, please let
us know. Your stories, experiences and commentaries have broad appeal and value. Please email submissions to [email protected].
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NEFAC REPORT | March 2017
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The
New England First Amendment Coalition joined open government advocates throughout the country to celebrate this 12th annual
Sunshine Week.
Sunshine Week, from March 12-18, is a national campaign to promote dialogue about the importance of transparency and freedom of information. Participants include news media, civic groups, libraries, non-profits, schools and others interested in the public's right to know.
NEFAC sponsored events and published daily blog posts to address transparency issues in each New England state.
[...]
CONNECTICUT
MAINE
MASSACHUSETTS
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Loeb School of Communications, Manchester, N.H.
Hunt Memorial Building, Nashua, N.H.
RHODE ISLAND
VERMONT
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March 17 Brief
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The
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit - which has jurisdiction in Vermont and Connecticut - is currently hearing the case and has an opportunity to find a clearly established First Amendment right to record police in public places.
"Without a clearly defined right to record, journalists and citizens seeking to document police activity run the risk of being arrested - even when the act of recording does not interfere with the duties being carried out by law enforcement," argued the New England First Amendment Coalition and 62 fellow amici in a March 17 brief drafted by the National Press Photographers Association.
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AUDIO
With a new presidential administration, journalists are finding their profession under attack. NEFAC Executive Director Justin Silverman discusses the state of journalism with
Steve Klamkin and the WPRO Saturday Morning News. [...]
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VIDEO
- Robert Bertsche | Prince Lobel Tye LLP, NEFAC Board Member
- Bill Ketter | Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.
- Asma Khalid | NPR, WBUR-Boston
- Bill Kole (moderator) | Associated Press
- Carolyn Lumsden | Hartford Courant
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March 2 Statement
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The New England First Amendment Coalition and more than 80 press freedom advocates recently condemned efforts by the Trump Administration to demonize the media and undermine its ability to inform the public about official actions and policies. In a March 2 joint statement emphasizing their commitment to the First Amendment right of freedom of speech and the press, the groups stressed that the administration's attacks on journalists pose a threat to American democracy. The groups cited numerous attempts by the administration to penalize and intimidate the press for critical coverage, including refusing to answer questions from certain reporters, falsely charging the media with cover-ups and manipulation of news, and denying certain media outlets access to press briefings.
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By Gregory Sanford | Former Vermont State Archivist
One of the nation's best known Democratic Republicans was U.S. Rep. Matthew Lyon, known to Federalists as "Mad Matt the Democrat" or simply as "the Beast of Vermont." For those of you unfamiliar with Rep. Lyon, he might be best envisioned as Bernie Sanders, but with an attitude.
Even before the passage of the Sedition Act, Lyon had published his disbelief in "Presidential infallibility." He then established a new publication modestly entitled, "The Scourge of Aristocracy and Repository of Important Political Truths." The goal of the publication was to "oppose truth to falsehood."
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Other FOI and First Amendment News
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REGIONAL / NATIONAL
Trump Administration, Journalism
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CONNECTICUT
Public Records, Privacy
First Amendment Education
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MAINE
MASSACHUSETTS
New Public Records Law
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NEW HAMPSHIRE
Open Meeting Law, Free Speech
Right to Know Law, Arbiter
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RHODE ISLAND
VERMONT
Student Journalism, New Voices Campaign
First Amendment, Hate Speech
Public Records, Court Documents
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