FAF Complaint – Tel Aviv
Tuesday, May 28, 2019, the First Amendment Foundation, joined by the Miami Herald, the Tampa Bay Times, Gannett, and GateHouse Media have filed a complaint against the Florida Cabinet for violations of the Sunshine Law related to the scheduled Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. In filing the complaint, Foundation President Barbara Petersen said:
The decision to challenge tomorrow’s meeting of the Florida Cabinet was not lightly made – it came after long deliberation and many discussions of both public policy and legal issues. Florida’s constitution requires that meetings of the Cabinet at which public business is to be transacted or discussed be open to the public. We wish the Governor and his Cabinet success on their trade mission. But as our complaint makes clear, there are legitimate concerns regarding the constitutionality of holding a Cabinet meeting that Floridians cannot attend.
Click here to see the Complaint – Tel Aviv Cabinet Meeting
A Win for the First Amendment Foundation
U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of Fane Lozman in Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach, FL. Lozman wins overwhelmingly (8-1) with the First Amendment Foundation’s support.
For the first time in our 30+ years, Florida First Amendment Foundation was at the U.S. Supreme Court.
On June 18, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court released its decision in Lozman v. The city of Rivera Beach, ruling in favor of Mr. Lozman in an 8-1 majority opinion, with Justice Kennedy writing for the Court.
You can read the entire Supreme Court opinion here.
“This is a fascinating case of great importance for citizens who too frequently find themselves at cross-purposes with government officials elected to represent the public interest,” says the First Amendment Foundation’s President, Barbara Petersen. “It took Mr. Lozman ten years, but in pursuing his case against the city of Riviera Beach, he has done us all a huge service – depending on certain circumstances, a government agency can be held liable for an agency’s retaliatory policy seeking to punish the citizen’s exercise of First Amendment rights.”
“The First Amendment Foundation is proud to have stood with Mr. Lozman in his epic fight to protect First Amendment rights.”
Thanks to your continued support, FAF continues to fight for YOUR right to know.