@ginnylaroe.bsky.social
Advocacy Director at the First Amendment Coalition
Ashamed this is happening in my city.
www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/11/28/o...
Oakland police say city is too unsafe to conduct its news conferences the way every other agency in the city does. Instead, it picks and chooses who passes an application for a police-issued credential just to be present at routine news conferences.
28.11.2025 19:02 — 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0Thankful for all the local journalists who keep communities informed and for those who invest in us press rights advocates to support the work.
28.11.2025 21:13 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Oakland Police must end its restrictive press policy, writes FAC, @spj-norcal.bsky.social and @pmwglocal39521.bsky.social firstamendmentcoalition.org/2025/11/14/p...
15.11.2025 02:13 — 👍 0 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 1
If you’re a reporter with questions about what you and others are allowed to do in and around polling places on Election Day, we’ve got answers. Join us for a Q&A on 10/28 1 PM PT about our new election day access guide firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/yo...
23.10.2025 16:59 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0California journalists: Let us know what you think of our new resource. We are hosting a Zoom Q&A next week. firstamendmentcoalition-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
21.10.2025 20:16 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
What did the official, Reg. of Voters Clint Curtis, have to say in response to @shastascout.bsky.social’s demand to stop violating the First Amendment?
No more press releases bring sent at all — in the run up to an election ! — & he’s contacting U.S. DOJ. (What?)
www.redding.com/story/news/l...
That’s 💯 percent the right political response by the Board of Supervisors.
The official’s actions were plainly unconstitutional — based on this own statements.
Read the letter by @davidloy.bsky.social for @shastascout.bsky.social
firstamendmentcoalition.org/2025/10/09/s...
A California county’s top election official excluded journalists he doesn’t like from receiving press releases.
Today, in response to @facoalition.bsky.social’s advocacy for @shastascout.bsky.social, these actions got a strong rebuke by the board that hired him.
shastascout.org/supervisors-...
“The board unanimously respects the right of the press to have free and unfettered access to public information. We condemn Mr. Curtis’ action of excluding the press and encourage him to maintain a high level of transparency and access to public information.”
15.10.2025 00:17 — 👍 4 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 2“The government may not condition its distribution of press releases on its perception of what publications are deemed ‘legitimate.’”
12.10.2025 15:05 — 👍 59 🔁 20 💬 2 📌 0Clint Curtis, Shasta County’s thin-skinned elections chief, stopped sending news releases to @shastascout.bsky.social because he didn't like its reporting.
His response when told it's unlawful to single out one news outlet? Collectively punishing of all of them.
We are pushing back on behalf of the public we serve after being restricted by the local election office. A free press is central to a healthy and civically-engaged community.
10.10.2025 20:24 — 👍 46 🔁 19 💬 0 📌 0
¡Atención, periodistas! Hoy publicamos una guía para los reporteros que cubren la aplicación de las leyes de inmigración en California. Ofrecemos consejos sobre cómo acceder a los registros públicos, las cortes y los centros de detención. firstamendmentcoalition.org/handbook/gui...
24.09.2025 16:59 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Today, @freedom.press filed three FOIA lawsuits seeking records on:
1. Efforts to prosecute CNN for reporting on ICE agent tracking app
2. Firing of FOIA official who handled one of our requests
3. ICE's access to data on ~79M Medicaid enrollees (filed w. @404media.co)
We hope California cops & courts reporters will find this useful. We kept in mind the needs of both veterans of the criminal justice best and interns who may be thrown on these stories.
Tune in tomorrow for a 30-min chat about guide highlights and how to make the most of it.
California police beat reporters:
Join us for a quick chat on Wednesday to go over this new resource you can use the next time you have to cover a shooting by a police officer.
This bill will not make politicians safer but it will make government less transparent. Lawmakers should stop AB 1392. www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/08/17/a...
18.08.2025 22:42 — 👍 1 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
NEW: The ACLU SoCal and some of the best lawyers in the game filed a federal lawsuit against Sec. Kristi Noem & DHS on behalf of myself and other reporters, as well as legal observers and protesters.
@lapressclub.bsky.social
@aclusocal.bsky.social
@newsguild.org
@acatwithnews.bsky.social
Without journalists, we wouldn't know what's happening beyond our front doors. That's why FAC and free press partners such as @lapressclub.bsky.social @freedom.press @spj-norcal.bsky.social have been working tirelessly all week to defend press rights.
firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/fi...
Los Angeles immigration raids protests began on June 6. The @pressfreedomtracker.us is investigating:
- 47 assaults on journalists
- 8 detainments/arrests of journalists
- 5 equipment damages
- 2 equipment searches/seizures
View our database: pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incident...
Dear Members, Today, attorneys representing the Los Angeles Press Club filed a complaint in federal court seeking to restrict use of force by LAPD on our members and fellow journalists. Recent police attacks on our colleagues while covering protests are both wrong and unlawful. Journalism is not a crime. We hope for an injunction to protect the press from any police misconduct that prevents us from doing our jobs. Details will be addressed in court. We want our members to be aware that we are not seeking any money. Our organization is being represented pro bono, meaning lawyers are covering their own costs. We deeply appreciate their support. This case is about LAPD, but if necessary, we are ready to take similar action to address misconduct toward journalists by other agencies.
Message to our members about the lawsuit we have filed over LAPD attacking press.
Among reminders: "Above all, we hope you and your colleagues are OK. Some of you are not. Please take time for self care, your health and safety are more important than any story. "
lapressclub.org/la-press-clu...
28 press rights orgs joined a letter to DHS Secretary Noem, calling out acts against press during this weekend's protests in Los Angeles.
I won't be naive about impacts of one letter. But we are united for our free press, and this puts them on notice about points of law and policy.
More soon.
Police assaults on journalists recall the violent aftermath of the George Floyd uprising, by @jonallsop.bsky.social.
www.cjr.org/the_media_to...
JOURNALISTS IN LA or COVERING FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT:
Press rights groups are trying to coordinate responses to unlawful attacks by federal officers against journalists during protests. If you can help ID individuals in charge of operations (incident commander, etc.) & contact info please LMK.
Nondisclosure agreements undermine transparency. Police officers accused with sexual harassment, assault, embezzlement and other crimes face few consequences and put the public at risk. Urge your officials and @gavinnewsom.bsky.social to support #AB1388. action.aclu.org/send-message...
14.05.2025 20:36 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
The Justice Department rolled back rules that prevented federal prosecutors from using compulsory tools like subpoenas to seize journalists' records in leak inquiries.
@rcfp.org's Gabe Rottman told @nytimes.com that it “raises significant First Amendment concerns.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi's recent memo indicates journalists who receive classified information could face Justice Department subpoenas and search warrants.
In @msnbc.com, @rcfp.org's Gabe Rottman explains what it means for reporters and public-interest newsgathering:
