Reposted by Lee LevineThe New York Times @nytimes.com · 15hOn the night Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered in 1968, Earl Caldwell was the lone New York Times reporter at the motel in Memphis. Here’s how he covered the weeks of rage that followed and decades of dispute over how it all went down. nyti.ms/4AVdiDx 4577
Reposted by Lee LevineLee Levine @leelevine.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Great piece about a great journalist. Read more about him in “In Bad Faith: Earl Caldwell and the fight for a free press.” Link in the article. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/02/u...nytimes.comA Shot Rang Out. M.L.K. Went Down. And a Reporter’s Instincts Kicked In. (Free Access)Earl Caldwell was staying one floor down from Martin Luther King Jr. when the civil rights leader was killed. 001
Lee Levine @leelevine.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Great piece about a great journalist. Read more about him in “In Bad Faith: Earl Caldwell and the fight for a free press.” Link in the article. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/02/u...nytimes.comA Shot Rang Out. M.L.K. Went Down. And a Reporter’s Instincts Kicked In. (Free Access)Earl Caldwell was staying one floor down from Martin Luther King Jr. when the civil rights leader was killed. 001
Reposted by Lee LevineJacob Schriner-Briggs @jschrinerbriggs.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Anyway, there's much to be said about WWII and the Cold War's influence on our free speech imaginary, both in its civil libertarian claims and its stunning practical failures. Relatedly, I haven't yet read this piece from Richard Primus (a student note!), but I'm eager to:openyls.law.yale.edu 012
Reposted by Lee LevineHeidi Kitrosser @heidikitrosser.bsky.social · 31/08/2026This article says that Microsoft has been posting updates about the Outlook outage on X. How nice of them to keep X users informed. Their Bluesky account has posted nothing since February 2025. @microsoft.com www.cnet.com/news-live/mi...cnet.comMicrosoft Outlook Hit by Exchange Online Service Outage - CNETOutlook users are facing a frustrating start to the work week thanks to an issue with Microsoft Exchange Online. 0136
Lee Levine @leelevine.bsky.social · 19/08/2026This is definitely worth a visit, especially if you’re curious about the framers’ understanding of what it meant to have a free press. 110
Reposted by Lee LevineRachel Goodman @rachelegoodman.bsky.social · 18/08/2026What gives Brendan Carr the idea that he can police ABC's programming, anyway? Here's more from me on the FCC's public interest authority-- and what Congress should do about it. 031
Reposted by Lee LevineJameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 18/08/2026At @knightcolumbia.org we're very good at anticipating news developments but the timing of this just-posted piece by @rachelegoodman.bsky.social exceeds even our high standards. (The substance of the piece is great, too.) knightcolumbia.org/blog/congres...knightcolumbia.orgCongress Must Curtail the FCC’s Speech Regulation Authority 1258
Reposted by Lee LevineRachel Goodman @rachelegoodman.bsky.social · 18/08/2026So glad to see this important suit on file. 011
Reposted by Lee LevineRachel Goodman @rachelegoodman.bsky.social · 18/08/2026(3/3)Truly chilling stuff, adding to the conclusion that the FCC's actions against ABC constitute "“an assault on free speech disguised as regulatory process.” protectdemocracy.org/wp-content/u...protectdemocracy.org 043
Reposted by Lee LevineKnight First Amendment Institute @knightcolumbia.org · 17/08/2026Read the full memo written by @serenamayeri.bsky.social and Amanda Shanor urging Yale’s leadership to reject a settlement deal put forth by the Trump administration, noting its likelihood to chill freedom of expression and academic inquiry on campus. knightcolumbia.org/blog/the-ful...knightcolumbia.orgMemo to Yale's President and General Counsel Opposing a Trump-Yale Deal 02312
Reposted by Lee LevineReporters Committee for Freedom of the Press @rcfp.org · 17/08/2026@rcfp.org, joined by 45 news and media organizations, is urging a federal court to throw out indictments against Georgia Fort and Don Lemon related to their coverage of an immigration enforcement protest at a Minnesota church earlier this year.rcfp.orgFederal court should dismiss charges against independent journalists Georgia Fort, Don LemonIf the charges are upheld, federal officials would gain a powerful tool to suppress news reporting in the public interest. 062
Reposted by Lee LevineAnna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 28/07/2026This is a wild exchange if you read Gonzales, the leading 2nd Cir. case on reporters’ privilege. The entire case is about the government trying to get the phone records of NYT journalists…the same thing the gov is trying to do now. What do you mean you didn’t know about that aspect of it 😂 1831573
Reposted by Lee LevineMark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 24/07/2026Thanks to all of you who have lifted Nats Journal into the top-10 sports Substack bestsellers. And if you haven't subscribed yet ... what are you waiting for? natsjournal.com/subscribe 2413
Reposted by Lee LevineCristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 23/07/2026The subpoenas to The New York Times are withdrawn in real time, in open court, during a very embarrassing hearing for the Trump administration. Incredible work. 6449106
Reposted by Lee LevineSonja West @sonjawest.bsky.social · 22/07/2026I’ve been saying this for a while now — filing meritless defamation lawsuits to harass the press is not a risk-free pastime. For example, I’d love to see discovery and depositions about Kash Patel’s drinking habits. www.bbc.com/news/article...bbc.comJudge rules Trump must hand over financial records sought by BBC in defamation caseThe judge grants a motion to compel the release of files held by the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust. 152
Reposted by Lee LevineOn the Media @onthemedia.bsky.social · 19/07/2026The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal have all received subpoenas from the Trump administration this year. @leelevine.bsky.social explains why the once “last resort” move of the Justice Department has become so common: lnk.to/onthemedia/b...lnk.toOn the MediaThe Peabody Award-winning On the Media podcast is your guide to examining how the media sausage is made. Hosts Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger examine threats to free speech and government transparency, cast a skeptical eye on media coverage of the week’s big stories and unravel hidden political narratives in everything we read, watch and hear. 1157
Reposted by Lee LevineOn the Media @onthemedia.bsky.social · 19/07/2026In 1972, the Supreme Court ruled that journalists were not protected from being called to federal court for their reporting. Decades later, the Trump administration is using that power early and often w/ @leelevine.bsky.social lnk.to/onthemedia/b...lnk.toOn the MediaThe Peabody Award-winning On the Media podcast is your guide to examining how the media sausage is made. Hosts Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger examine threats to free speech and government transparency, cast a skeptical eye on media coverage of the week’s big stories and unravel hidden political narratives in everything we read, watch and hear. 0125
Reposted by Lee LevineMicah Loewinger @micahloewinger.bsky.social · 19/07/2026This week I spoke with.. @mattgertz.bsky.social about Fox’s love for Todd Blanche and the end of an impartial DOJ @leelevine.bsky.social about the legal history of subpoenaing journalists 04912
Reposted by Lee LevineOn the Media @onthemedia.bsky.social · 18/07/2026“Nixon's undoing was ultimately his efforts to engage in a coverup. Donald Trump doesn't care about coverups,” says @leelevine.bsky.social. ”There is this long and detailed record of why these subpoenas are being issued... and what the motives are.” lnk.to/onthemedia/b...lnk.toOn the MediaThe Peabody Award-winning On the Media podcast is your guide to examining how the media sausage is made. Hosts Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger examine threats to free speech and government transparency, cast a skeptical eye on media coverage of the week’s big stories and unravel hidden political narratives in everything we read, watch and hear. 0214
Reposted by Lee LevineMatthew Gertz @mattgertz.bsky.social · 18/07/2026Talked with On The Media about why Todd Blanche is the AG the right-wing media has been waiting for. 415041
Reposted by Lee LevineThe New Yorker @newyorker.com · 18/07/2026The recent subpoenas of reporters make clear that the President is trying to threaten the press. Few protections are in place to stop him. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...newyorker.comTrump’s War on JournalistsThe recent subpoenas of reporters make clear that the President is trying to threaten the press. Few protections are in place to stop him. 15231
Reposted by Lee LevineOn the Media @onthemedia.bsky.social · 18/07/2026📻 Show’s up! Featuring @mattgertz.bsky.social, Lee Levine, and Jenny Carchman 0349
Reposted by Lee LevineOn the Media @onthemedia.bsky.social · 18/07/2026Show's up! Featuring @mattgertz.bsky.social, Lee Levine, and Jenny Carchman:wnycstudios.orgFrom Subpoenas to Cockroaches: Journalist Intimidation 101 | On the Media | WNYC StudiosThis week, several New York Times reporters were subpoenaed by the Justice Department for their reporting on Air Force One. On this week’s On the Media, how a fifty-year-old Supreme C... 13810
Reposted by Lee LevineJosh Chafetz @joshchafetz.bsky.social · 04/07/2026What kind of fascist hellscape is happing on Pennsylvania Ave at the Eastern Market Metro stop? These guys—seemingly all white, all men—have their faces covered, are carrying shields, wearing brown … 137768227
Reposted by Lee LevineFirst Amendment Coalition @facoalition.bsky.social · 01/07/2026WATCH: Floyd Abrams: Speaking Freely explores the work of the legendary attorney--and FAC special advisor--who argued many of the landmark cases that transformed the First Amendment into a cornerstone of journalistic freedom and American democracy. www.speakingfreelyfilm.comspeakingfreelyfilm.comFloyd Abrams: Speaking FreelyFloyd Abrams: Speaking Freely is a biopic of the First Amendment as told through the story of one of its greatest legal advocates. 011
Reposted by Lee LevineFRONTLINE @frontlinepbs.bsky.social · 01/07/2026Our new documentary "The Crown Prince and the President" examines the alliance between President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and what each stands to gain — from ambitions for a new Middle East, to arms deals, investments and personal profit. youtu.be/C6gcwTz_85syoutu.beWhat Each Stands to Gain | The Crown Prince & the President (full documentary) | FRONTLINE (PBS)YouTube video by FRONTLINE PBS | Official 2197
Reposted by Lee Levinetboutrous.bsky.social @tboutrous.bsky.social · 01/07/2026Court Halts Pentagon Rule Requiring Escorts for Journalists www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/b...nytimes.comCourt Halts Pentagon Rule Requiring Escorts for Journalists 033
Reposted by Lee LevineSonja West @sonjawest.bsky.social · 01/07/2026This Alito retirement announcement mess wouldn’t have happened if we had cameras in the courtroom. Just say’n. 4449
Reposted by Lee LevineDr. Todd Arrington @btarrington.bsky.social · 28/06/2026“You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can only be free if I am free.” ~Clarence Darrow. Image: Associated Press. 4537119
Reposted by Lee LevineStefan Fatsis @stefanfatsis.bsky.social · 14/06/2026His mayor is Muslim His wife is Jewish He scored 45 Knicks in five 1211
Reposted by Lee LevineMatthew Schafer @matthewschafer.bsky.social · 23/05/2026🚨 🚨 🚨 The press is under attack. The Supreme Court's decision in First Choice might just suggest a new way to fight back. New from me at Prior Restraint: open.substack.com/pub/priorres...open.substack.comThe Supreme Court and the Frenchman: What a Recent Decision Might Mean for the Press ClauseA largely ignored First Amendment right made a cameo in a recent Supreme Court decision. The history behind that clause could matter enormously right now. 134
Lee Levine @leelevine.bsky.social · 23/05/2026What a great way to launch The Press Clause Coalition! 010
Lee Levine @leelevine.bsky.social · 12/05/2026It appears the subpoenas have now arrived. A good time to reiterate that the Supreme Court has expressly held that grand jury subpoenas issued to journalists “other than in good faith” violate the freedom of the press guaranteed by the First Amendment. 054
Reposted by Lee LevineNellMinow @nellminow.bsky.social · 09/05/20262/2 He also said, "I am unalterably opposed to governmental censorship. There will be no suppression of programming which does not meet with bureaucratic tastes. Censorship strikes at the tap root of our free society." 091
Reposted by Lee LevineRay E. Boomhower @rboomhower.bsky.social · 27/04/2026"No one man can terrorize a whole nation unless we are all his accomplices." Edward R. Murrow, who died on this day in 1965 12981682840
Reposted by Lee LevineJenny Cohn @jennycohn.bsky.social · 26/04/2026The *intro* to the indictment against SPLC “speaks about millions of dollars….used to pay informants,” but when u get to the “actual charges, the amounts dwindle to…$13,905 [total]… No explanation has been given…4 the huge discrepancy between the introductory language…& what is actually charged.“ 1/justsecurity.orgThe Poverty of the DOJ Indictment of the Southern Poverty Law CenterFormer head of the DOJ Fraud Section, Weissmann discusses conspicuous gaps in the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center. 421471644
Reposted by Lee LevineCREW @citizensforethics.org · 22/04/2026NEW: The Southern Poverty Law Center has spent the past 50 years as one of the nation’s most critical bulwarks against the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups. By going after them, it is clear who the Trump administration supports in the fight against white nationalism.citizensforethics.orgCREW statement on Southern Poverty Law Center - CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in WashingtonThe Southern Poverty Law Center has spent the past 50 years as one of the nation’s most critical bulwarks against the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups. This is yet another attempt by the Trump admin... 311250
Reposted by Lee LevineCAC @myconstitution.bsky.social · 22/04/2026When civil rights groups like SPLC are targeted and intimidated, we are all less safe. It's no surprise that a President who has offered clemency to Proud Boys and Oath Keepers would now go after nonprofits that monitor such dangerous extremist groups. www.theusconstitution.org/news/cac-rel...theusconstitution.orgCAC Release: Targeting Civil Rights Groups Leaves All Americans Less Safe | Constitutional Accountability CenterWASHINGTON, DC – In response to yesterday’s indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC) Vice President Praveen Fernandes issued the following reaction: Ye... 23111
Reposted by Lee LevineGenevieve Lakier @genevievelakier.bsky.social · 21/04/2026For example from Gentile v. State Bar Nevada, 501 U.S. 1030, (1991) 0154
Reposted by Lee LevineKarlene Goller @kgoller.bsky.social · 04/04/2026www.nytimes.com/video/inside... #1Anytimes.comVideo: A Times Lawyer on Why the Pentagon Lawsuit MattersA federal judge recently determined that certain Pentagon restrictions on news outlets violated the First Amendment. David McCraw, who heads the newsroom legal team for The New York Times, discusses t... 011
Reposted by Lee LevineReporters Committee for Freedom of the Press @rcfp.org · 28/03/2026A Colorado town pulled advertising from a local newspaper in retaliation for reporting it disliked. After an @rcfp.org attorney representing the newspaper pushed back, the town reversed course.rcfp.orgAfter RCFP pushback, Colorado town settles First Amendment dispute with local newspaperThe town of Bennett, Colorado, had pulled advertising from The I-70 Scout in retaliation for its reporting. 083