Free Republic

A man who telecom regulators say was apparently behind a barrage of racist robocalls in six states — sowing hate in response to the killing of an Iowa college student by an undocumented immigrant and a white supremacist’s murder trial in Virginia — is facing a proposed fine of nearly $13 million by the Federal Communications Commission. The man, Scott D. Rhodes, who anti-hate groups say is a white supremacist and runs the website Road to Power, was “apparently” responsible for more than 6,000 robocalls in 2018 “with the intent to cause harm,” the F.C.C. said on Thursday. The commission...

As director of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Campus Free Expression Project, I am always eager to get beyond the DC beltway to learn how students understand free expression on their particular campus. So, to return to Duke University, my alma mater, was particularly welcome. Duke has a legacy of defending the expression of controversial views. In 1903, the school set a new standard in defending faculty academic freedom when the trustees voted to reject history professor John Bassett’s offer to resign after his praise of Booker T. Washington sparked controversy for the school—this only three years after Leland Stanford’s widow...

In an interview with the New York Times' editorial board, former Vice President Joe Biden made his most stringent call yet for cracking down on free speech on the internet. After being asked by the Times about previous comments Biden has made regarding Facebook's refusal to remove negative ads targeting his campaign, the Democratic front-runner attacked both the social media platform and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. "I've never been a fan of Facebook," Biden says. "I've never been a big Zuckerberg fan, I think he's a real problem." Biden and Facebook have been feuding for months, as Reason has previously...

The Army Times named a 28-year-old who has been vocal about hating President Donald Trump as its top editor Jan. 10. Sarah Sicard previously worked as a spokeswoman for a New York councilman who describes himself as a “moderate Democrat.” The Army Times is one of the oldest and largest papers catering to the military, which according to the publication’s own polling is overwhelmingly conservative.

Facebook says it will continue to allow political ads that target the social media platform's users, sticking to its position despite concerns about the potential impact on the upcoming presidential election. Federal Election Commissioner Ellen Weintraub sharply criticized the policy, saying Facebook's "weak plan suggests the company has no idea how seriously it is hurting democracy." Facebook's policy falls short of measures recently taken by other tech giants. Google says it will limit the ability of political ads to target an audience, and Twitter has banned political ads entirely. Taking aim at Facebook's policy in a series of tweets Thursday...

Among the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment is the right "to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." You have a right, in other words, to communicate with the government, to complain about its current policies, and to advocate for new and different ones without fear of punishment or censor. You might call it a right to lobby. That unlimited right to lobby the lawmakers who make decisions that affect your life, your family, and your fortune is one that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D–Mass.) thinks American businesses should not have. The candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination has...

... [I]n revealing whom Mr. Solomon talked with, and when, Mr. Schiff and his committee have created a new pathway for the government to find and reveal a reporter’s sources and to question his or her motives. That is wrong. The legislative branch should not use its subpoena power to police journalism. Mr. Schiff’s pathway could easily be considered a precedent. And the government does not need more encouragement to out a journalist’s sources. The executive branch, in the institutions of the Department of Justice and the F.B.I., has used metadata — call records and routing information not protected by...

The Seattle Times (Crystal Paul) reports: 'Community members including transgender locals and trans allies have inundated the Seattle Public Library with calls and emails, asking the library system to cancel an upcoming event hosted by the Women's Liberation Front—a self-described "radical feminist organization" that has publicly espoused what critics call anti-trans views. The group's event, titled "Fighting the New Misogyny: A Feminist Critique of Gender Identity," is publicized as "a critical analysis of gender identity" that will "make powerful arguments for sex-based women's rights," according to the event page.' The law here is clear: When a library opens space for...

Suppose you’re the editorial-page editor of a college newspaper, contemplating the big news on campus: protesters have silenced an invited speaker and gone on a violent rampage. Should you, as a journalist whose profession depends on the First Amendment, write an editorial reaffirming the right to free speech? If that seems like a no-brainer, you’re behind the times. The question stumped the staff of the Middlebury Campus after protesters silenced conservative social thinker Charles Murray and injured the professor who’d invited him. The prospect of taking a stand on the First Amendment was so daunting that the paper dispensed with...

A Kentucky printer has won a fight over whether it can be forced to print t-shirts for a local LGBT group. It won on a technicality that doesn't address the underlying conflict, so more lawsuits over the issue may be on their way. But one judge on the court made it clear that such suits are not likely to succeed. The case goes back to 2012, when a Lexington-based print shop named Hands On Originals declined to print t-shirts for the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization (GLSO), for an upcoming pride festival. The owners of Hands On say they will...

President Trump went on a retweeting spree Saturday morning, sharing other conservative voices more than 60 times. The tweets covered many of the president’s passions, ranging from border security to criticism of Democrats. Trump retweeted media figures like Geraldo Rivera and pols including Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). The president also retweeted a few of his own previous tweets, including a Friday statement urging, “Build your products in the United States and there are NO TARIFFS!” The spree appeared to conclude just before 10 a.m., when Trump penned a fresh post. “Such an easy way to avoid Tariffs? Make or produce...

President Trump announced Sunday afternoon that Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen "will be leaving her position" after 16 months in the job. Trump also announced that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Kevin McAleenan will replace Nielsen as acting secretary, tweeting: "I have confidence that Kevin will do a great job!" ... Nielsen's departure is the latest staffing shakeup in the department, which was founded to combat terrorism after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. On Friday, Trump confirmed he had withdrawn the nomination of acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Ron Vitiello to become the permanent head...

The Supreme Court says Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is missing arguments for the first time in more than 25 years as she recuperates from cancer surgery last month. Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said Monday the 85-year-old Ginsburg is continuing to recuperate and work from home after doctors removed two cancerous growths from her left lung on Dec. 21.

President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to American troops in Iraq on Wednesday, his first journey to an active combat zone since he took office. The president landed on Wednesday. Trump visited wounded U.S. troops last Christmas season, on Dec. 21, 2017, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. He also that month invited Coast Guard members to play golf at his course in West Palm Beach, Florida. But before Wednesday's trip to Iraq, Trump had taken some heat from critics for being the first president since 2002 not to make a Christmastime visit to troops in...

PJ Media previously reported on the story of a 17-year-old high school student from Farmington, Conn., who was originally blocked from participating in a school assembly on March 14 where she had planned to present her conservative and pro-Second Amendment views. Thanks to the attention her story received, the student, Ashley Dummit, was eventually able to participate, and gave a speech at the assembly in defense of Second Amendment rights. In fact, she ended up being the only speaker at the assembly. Unfortunately, not all incidents involving pro-Second Amendment students have ended so well. Another high school student, 17-year-old Christian...

Mary Tyler Moore, whose witty and graceful performances on two top-rated television shows in the 1960s and ’70s helped define a new vision of American womanhood, died on Wednesday in Greenwich, Conn. She was 80. Her family said her death, at Greenwich Hospital, was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest after she had contracted pneumonia. Ms. Moore faced more than her share of private sorrow, and she went on to more serious fare, including an Oscar-nominated role in the 1980 film “Ordinary People” as a frosty, resentful mother whose son has died. But she was most indelibly known as the incomparably spunky...

NBA joins Everytown in TV ads against gun violence (VIDEO) The NBA is calling for an end to gun violence. The basketball association is teaming up with Everytown for Gun Safety to release a series of public service announcements to be televised during games on Christmas Day, the New York Times reported. The TV spots focus on victims of gun violence, who recount their stories along with NBA players who bring their own unique perspectives.

So I'm watching the news today and start seeing our illustrious Bureaucrats Out Right Lying about what they collect and what they don't.   They tell us today they don't collect locations of cell phone trawled for in pursuit of a target named in a warrant.   I want you to understand when they issue a warrant, many times, with "Reasonable Cause" They are violating the Constitution by: 1.  Using "Reasonable Cause" as the basis for a warrant.  The Constitution requires no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause.   2.  supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the...

Obama Attacks The 1st AmendmentObama goes after the AP and Fox News5/21/2013Fox's Bret Baier Reveals That DOJ Also Seized Phone Records For James Rosen's ParentsNYT Editorial: Another Chilling Leak Investigation (FNC, James Rosen)Obama administration mistakes journalism for espionage5/20/2013DOJ's secret subpoena of AP phone records broader than initially revealedHolder Won't Say if DOJ Ever Enforced Born Alive Infant Protection Act: Answers "I don't know" the committee 56 timesJustice Department affidavit labels Fox News journalist as possible 'co-conspirator'Report: Three Fox News Staffers Targeted By Justice DepartmentObama DOJ formally accuses journalist in leak case of committing crimes: James RosenBefore AP: DOJ Targeted Fox...

Pat Summerall died Tuesday. He was 82. He died in his hospital room at Zale Lipshy Hospital where he was recovering from surgery for a broken hip, a family friend confirmed.