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Questions, worries fly after Florida journalist's home raided by FBI for Kanye West video
Tallahassee Democrat
Douglas Soule
01/05/2024
In May 2023, the FBI raided the home of a Florida journalist who published an unedited Fox News video of the rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, making antisemitic comments.
Now, a multitude of press and civil rights organizations are calling for more transparency from the federal government about the reason for the raid, and for the return of seized items and materials "unrelated to any legitimate investigation."
"If that newsgathering activity alone served as the basis for the search and seizure in this case, it would run afoul of the First Amendment," wrote the organizations, including the National Press Club, American Civil Liberties Union and its Florida affiliate in an early January court filing. "Even if there was something more, the current secrecy and resulting ambiguity will chill legitimate newsgathering."
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OPINION: Florida’s revised defamation bill attacks constitution and conservative media
The Naples Press
Trey Radel
01/19/2024
Florida Republican lawmakers are once again on the attack against liberal mainstream media. Their goal is to pass a new bill making it easier to sue news organizations and hold them accountable for their distortions of the truth. It sounds great in theory, but I believe conservative media will, undoubtedly, be hit the hardest.
As a Republican who works in the media, I empathize with the frustration of conservatives every time I see hit pieces, headlines and the overall framing of news stories written to run cover for the Democratic Party or intentionally hurt Republicans. Clearly, the author of the bill, Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, feels the same way. I believe his intentions are noble.
Unfortunately, this renewed effort to revise defamation laws in the state stirs deep concerns, echoing the same fears I voiced earlier last year. The initial bill, HB 991, would have stifled political speech and increased the legal vulnerability of media, including conservative outlets.
Rep. Andrade’s pared-down version still presents significant challenges, particularly around the use of anonymous sources. This focus not only undermines nearly 60 years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent but also dismisses the historical value of anonymous speech in America—a point highlighted best by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
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