Free Republic

DC Circuit largely vacates Chutkan's restraining order

A federal judge this week struck down a controversial set of laws allowing the Federal Bureau of Investigation to seek people's records without a court's approval, saying the strict secrecy orders demanded by the laws are not constitutional. Judge Susan Illston, of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, said the laws, which underlie a tool known as a "national security letter," violate the First Amendment and the separation of powers principles. In her order, Judge Illston ordered the government to stop issuing national security letters or enforcing their gag orders, although she said enforcement of her judgment...

NEW YORK (AP) — The latest on sexual harassment allegations at Fox News (all times local): An attorney for a former Fox News contributor is calling for an independent investigation of sexual harassment allegations against host Bill O’Reilly. Lisa Bloom represents Wendy Walsh, a former Fox News contributor who says she lost a segment on “The O’Reilly Factor” after she refused to go to O’Reilly’s bedroom following a 2013 dinner in Los Angeles.

Aaron and Melissa Klein ordered not to talk publicly about their faith. I don’t know if you’ve followed the case of Sweet Cakes by Melissa. This is the now-closed bakery in Oregon that has become a target of state officials because its Christian owners declined to bake a cake for a lesbian wedding. Not only has the business been forced to close, the state has fined the Kleins $135,000. But it gets worse. Much worse. Now that state has responded to a radio interview the Kleins gave by ordering them to no longer talk publicly about why their faith compels...

While visiting Iowa this weekend, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker commented on the wildly out-of-control “John Doe” prosecution waged by partisan Democrats in his state. One of the many objectionable features of this crusade was that the targets were legally gagged from talking about it. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm responded to Walker’s comments by threatening him. Whatever Chisholm’s virtues as a D.A. might be, a keen sense of irony is evidently not among them.The Wisconsin Witch Hunt has been an abiding interest of mine for years–rarely have so many been terrorized by so few for so little gain, until...

Secret law, secret lawsuit(snip) To no one's surprise, the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit challenging the constitutionality of parts of the USA Patriot Act, the sweeping security law passed in the immediate aftermath of 9-11. To what should be everyone's shock, the mere fact of the lawsuit was kept secret under provisions of the act. "It is remarkable that a gag provision in the Patriot Act kept the public in the dark about the mere fact that a constitutional challenge had been filed in court," said the ACLU. Remarkable and also scary. (snip) National Security Letters are a kind...