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Government can’t circumvent the Constitution to censor critics indirectly

2 months ago

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Washington, D.C., March 31, 2026 — A federal judge today blocked the Trump administration from ending federal funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service.

The following can be attributed to Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF):

“As the court said, it’s long been the law that the government can’t circumvent the Constitution by conditioning benefits on censorship where it can’t censor directly. That goes for publicly funded media, but it also goes for Brendan Carr’s FCC conditioning broadcast licenses or merger approvals for private media companies on editorial concessions to please Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth conditioning access to the Pentagon on journalists forfeiting established rights, or Trump himself steering transactions like the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger to supporters of his who promise him ‘sweeping changes’ to bend the news to his liking.

“Virtually all of the administration’s ‘wins’ in reshaping the media that Carr and Trump have bragged about at CPAC and in social media posts violate this well-established constitutional principle. More news outlets should sue and win.”

Please contact us if you would like further comment.

Freedom of the Press Foundation

5A's Animal Shelter to Host "Barks and Bikes" Adoption Event

2 months ago
ALTON - Community members have the chance to “adopt on the spot” during a 5A’s Animal Shelter event. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, Ted’s Motorcycle World will host all 5A’s dogs for a “Barks and Bikes” adoption event. Attendees can visit with the 5A’s dogs, play poker, compete in doggy dress-up contests, and enjoy a variety of raffles, snacks and more throughout the day. Proceeds go toward the 5A’s work, but Carol

Budzinski and Fischbach Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Bolster Biomanufacturing

2 months ago
SPRINGFIELD – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (MN-07) introduced the Biobased Materials Investment and Production Act to strengthen the domestic supply chain and create new markets for American farmers by incentivizing the production of biobased chemicals and materials. While the United States has made significant strides in biofuels, many other everyday products, from plastics to industrial chemicals, remain dependent on foreign petroleum.

California Woman Faces Major Felonies In Madison County Fentanyl Trafficking Case

2 months ago
EDWARDSVILLE – A traffic stop by state police has yielded major felony charges against a California woman who allegedly transported over 25,000 grams of fentanyl across state lines into Madison County. Erendira I. Tinajero-Hernandez, 45, of Hungtington Park, Calif., was charged on March 23, 2026 with one count each of controlled substance trafficking and unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, both enhanced Class X felonies. Tinajero-Hernandez is accused o

US Supreme Court rules against Colorado ban on conversion therapy

2 months ago
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with a conservative Christian counselor who argued that Colorado’s 2019 law banning “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ+ minors may violate her First Amendment right to free speech. The court’s 8-1 opinion, authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, holds that the Colorado law seeks to “regulate speech based on viewpoint,” and […]
Chase Woodruff

Techdirt Podcast Episode 448: Transaction Denied

2 months ago
Support us on Patreon » In the conversation about online speech, most of the attention tends to fall on the big social media platforms, while other intermediaries get overlooked — especially payment processors and other financial intermediaries. But that very thing is the focus of a new book coming out next week, Rainey Reitman‘s Transaction Denied. […]
Leigh Beadon

Alton NAACP Leader Calls For Investigation Into Alleged Double Standards Against Mayor

2 months ago
ALTON – Alton City Council members have been accused of discriminating against the city’s first Black mayor, prompting a request for state agencies to investigate. Leon Smallwood-Bey, president of the Alton branch of the NAACP, accused City Council members of unfairly targeting Mayor David Goins with certain oversight-related actions at their last meeting on March 25, 2026 . “We are compelled to speak because a troubling pattern has emerged – one that raises serious

Charges Issued Against Two Women In Child Abduction Hoax Case

2 months ago
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged two Affton women after authorities said they fabricated a report that a child was abducted in a stolen vehicle, prompting an Amber Alert and a large-scale search. Ashley Collins, 29, and Kayla Williams, 31, both of the 8900 block of New Hampshire Avenue in Affton, were charged Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in St. Louis County, Mo. Collins is charged with misusing 911 and making a false report. Williams is

Budzinski Says Granite City Works Has Restarted Steel Production

2 months ago
SPRINGFIELD, IL — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) released the following statement as steel production resumes at Granite City Works for the first time in two years. “After more than two years of relentless advocacy, Granite City Works is coming back to life. Blast Furnace B has officially restarted, and 500 workers have returned to the mill – once again producing the steel helps power our nation. “Throughout this process, I was proud to stand shoulder t