February 15, 2026

1A Rights

Denying Everyone’s Access to Lawful Speech to Protect a Vulnerable Few: Arkansas’s Overinclusive Regulatory Trade-Off | American Enterprise Institute– www.aei.org

pgnewser February 11, 2026

Blurb:

An Arkansas federal court recently issued a preliminary injunction barring authorities in the Natural State from enforcing a speech-restrictive statute called Act 901. Among other things, it prohibits social media platforms from using algorithms they know or reasonably should know will cause “a user to: (1) purchase a controlled substance; (2) develop an eating disorder; (3) commit or attempt to commit suicide; or (4) develop or sustain an addiction to the social media platform[s].”

Chief US District Judge Timothy L. Brooks’ ruling in NetChoice v. Griffin marks yet another victory for NetChoice in its seemingly ceaseless battle against state laws that curb the First Amendment speech rights of two groups—users (to express and receive lawful content) and platforms (to exercise editorial discretion and moderate content without government interference). Brooks’ decision also offers several constitutional lessons for lawmakers about such measures; two are addressed below.

DNC Virginia Looks to De Facto Establish Sharia

pgnewser February 11, 2026

The DNC Insurrectionist State of Virginia is now working on a bill, SB 624, that would criminalize dissent of Sharia, Islamic Law, equating resistance to Sharia as a Hate Crime. Resistant to Islam in general would be deemed “Islamophobia,” which the bill would make a hate crime punishable by imprisonment, and death, should the offender resist arrest.

It is crystal clear that such a bill is an overt violation of our First Amendment rights, so much so that the introduction of the bill should IMMEDIATELY trigger a declaration of a state of insurrection in Virginia by President Trump and a return of Virginia to the American people and away from the Insurrectionist Party now in control and the many insurrectionists that voted for this revolution against the republic.

Blurb:

Virginia’s SB 624: How an “Islamophobia” Bill Could Chill Free Speech – standingforfreedom.com

Virginia State Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim, D, has introduced SB 624, legislation that would enshrine “Islamophobia” into Virginia’s hate crime statutes. The bill defines Islamophobia as “malicious prejudice or hatred directed toward Islam or Muslims” — applying even when the victim is not actually Muslim.SB 624 amends Virginia’s assault and battery laws by creating a statutory definition of “Islamophobia” and mandating that the Virginia Department of State Police incorporate this definition into the state’s hate crime reporting system.

But here’s what makes this particularly troubling: Virginia already has comprehensive hate crime legislation. During Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s term, the legislature passed SB 7, which enhances assault charges for anyone who “intentionally selects the person against whom a simple assault is committed because of his race, religious conviction, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or ethnic or national origin.”

That bill already covers Muslims.

NewsGuard Sues FTC in Dueling Accusations of Censorship– www.dailysignal.com

pgnewser February 10, 2026

Blurb:

A media ratings website is suing the Federal Trade Commission for investigating alleged efforts to blacklist conservative news outlets, in a clash that is effectively dueling accusations of censorship.

NewsGuard Technologies sued the FTC in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Friday, alleging the Trump administration was trying to censor it, “simply out of disagreement with NewsGuard’s First Amendment-protected journalistic judgments about the reliability of news sources.”

“Under the guise of a supposed antitrust investigation, the FTC has demanded all documents (memos, emails, texts, reporters’ notes, subscriber lists, analyses, financial reports, and more) that NewsGuard has created or received since its founding in 2018,” the complaint says.

The FTC did not immediately respond to The Daily Signal’s inquiry for this story.

How Europe Is Banning Americans From Saying What We Believe– thefederalist.com

pgnewser February 5, 2026

Blurb:

The European Union now constantly violates fundamental Western rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion and claims the power to ban speech across the globe, European witnesses testified to the U.S. Congress Wednesday morning.

“European laws [are] now being exported by the European Union. … American speech is already being affected,” testified Lorcán Price, an Irish lawyer for Alliance Defending Freedom International.

Under “hate speech” policies that Europe is applying across the world, “Speech that is lawful today can become criminalized tomorrow. This should concern every person that values freedom,” testified Finnish Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen. Irish comedian Graham Linehan also testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. In September 2025, Linehan was arrested at Heathrow Airport by British

Judge Blocks Hawaii Censorship Law– thefederalist.com

pgnewser February 3, 2026

Blurb:

Humorless Democrats in the Trump Derangement Syndrome era can’t take a joke. Literally. Liberals in Blue state Hawaii are so joyless that they’ve criminalized satire, a mainstay of politics for centuries.

But a federal judge in Honolulu just told the leftist-led Aloha State to lighten up.

‘Kill the Joke’

In a big win for the First Amendment, Judge Shanlyn A.S. Park on Friday found Hawaii’s looming law censoring online political speech unconstitutional. The case pitted the Babylon Bee — “Fake News You Can Trust” — against Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez and the other speech silencers at the island state’s capitol, and Park’s permanent injunction stops a law that “would kill the joke.”

As the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) put it, Hawaii government officials aren’t allowed to censor political speech they don’t like. The conservative Christian network of attorneys founded to protect “religious freedom, free speech, parental rights and the sanctity of life” filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Babylon Bee and Hawaii resident Dawn O’Brien.

 

Trio of Minnesota law professors decry arrest of Don Lemon: ‘attack on free press’– www.thecollegefix.com

pgnewser February 2, 2026

Blurb:

‘Basically a war on journalists that are trying to gather information and provide it to the public’

A trio of Minnesota university law professors says the arrests of former CNN pundit Don Lemon and a local journalist for “documenting” the disruption at a recent church service represent an “attack on a free press.”

Lemon and Georgia Fort were indicted last week by a federal grand jury for their alleged role in a January 18 anti-ICE protest inside Cities Church in St. Paul, The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

FCC Is Right To Make Late-Night TV Follow ‘Equal Airtime’ Rules– thefederalist.com

pgnewser January 27, 2026

Blurb:

Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, which has oversight responsibilities for the Federal Communications Commission, blasted the FCC chairman in an X post last week:

Brendan Carr is pulling every dirty trick in the book to weaponize his agency against dissenting voices and attack our First Amendment rights. He is trying to mislead the American people and pressure talk shows to go easy on the Trump Administration. We must stop it.

Florida Woman Questioned by Police for Accusing Mayor of Calling for Deaths of Palestinians

pgnewser January 21, 2026

Raquel Pacheco of Miami Beach posted on Facebook that the Mayor was “the guy who consistently calls for the deaths of Palestinians.” After the post, police showed up to question her about it. The incident was caught on video.

This follows up a statement by Florida’s Lt. Governor Jay Callins in December that “You have a right to free speech, but you don’t have the right to harm other people with your words. And you don’t have the right to say things that have really negative, really horrible meanings. When you want people to destroy Israel, that matters.” This follows a spate of GOP-led “hate speech” regulations and laws that help affirm the DNC’s new “social” justice Rule of Law over “individual” justice Rule of Law.

Blurb:

(LifeSiteNews) — After posting a Facebook comment sharply critical of a Zionist mayor for his support of Israel during its ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people, a Florida resident was visited by two police officers to investigate her comment.

Raquel Pacheco, a local resident of Miami Beach, a veteran and a repeat local political candidate, mocked her mayor, Steven Meiner, in a post in which he described the city as a welcoming place.

She referred to him as “the guy who consistently calls for the death of all Palestinians,” later defending the comment to Axios that his public support for Israel during its ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank amounts to endorsing a genocide.

NY Surrenders its efforts to force nuns to fund abortions

pgnewser January 21, 2026

After nearly 10 years of fighting and winning a SCOTUS decision, Christian organizations have finally officially won their fight to stop forcing religious organizations to fund abortions. New York has officially settled with the Christian organizations, guaranteeing they will no longer be forced to fund abortions.

One of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, Lori Windham, said of the settlement, “For nearly a decade, New York bureaucrats tried to strong-arm nuns into paying for abortions because they serve all those in need. At long last, the state has given up its disgraceful campaign. This victory confirms that the government cannot punish religious ministries for living out their faith by serving everyone. The Supreme Court has made it abundantly clear that religious groups shouldn’t be bullied for staying true to their faith.”

Blurb:

Christian organizations spent nearly a decade fighting New York’s requirement that they pay for abortions. They came out victorious on Friday, thanks in part to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June.

In January 2017, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the Empire State would require employers to not only pay for contraceptive drugs and devices but for “all medically necessary abortion services.”

Cuomo, a Catholic, said that the mandate was one of a number of regulatory actions that would “help ensure that whatever happens at the federal level, women in our state will have cost-free access to reproductive health care.”

CBS Interview with Trump Reveals Network is Lost to Progmerica

pgnewser January 14, 2026

After the hiring of Bari Weiss to remove the far-left propaganda from CBS News, doubt has remained as to just how hard Weiss would push and what she could accomplish. The jury is still out, but a recent interview by CBS News Anchor Tony Dokoupil of President Trump reveals a news standard that is aligned, once again, with Americanism.

Newsbusters’ assessment of the interview should please CBS News. They claimed, “The dust has settled on the second Trump interview of the Bari Weiss Era at CBS News. It is another positive step in the right direction, away from the usual talking point-laden gotchafests… Anchor Tony Dokoupil acquitted himself well, being firm but respectful. He brought questions, not talking points. He engaged, rather than scolded. This resulted in meaningful conversation, rather than performative confrontation.”

Blurb:

The dust has settled on the second Trump interview of the Bari Weiss Era at CBS News. It is another positive step in the right direction, away from the usual talking point-laden gotchafests. For the chattering classes, they will most certainly hate it and hysterically point to it as further proof of Trump’s supposed erosion of the hallowed norms of the journalistic profession.

In keeping with CBS practices, the totality of the interview was quickly made available. In this instance, by airing in its entirety on the CBS Evening News.

Judge Rules Teacher Who Had Crucifix in Classroom to Be Suspended– conservativeroof.com

pgnewser November 5, 2025

Blurb:

A federal judge on Nov. 3 upheld the suspension of a school teacher in New Britain, Connecticut, who refused to remove a crucifix from the wall above her school workspace.

U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Russell ruled that it is not legally permissible for a government employee, including public school teachers, to display a religious artifact in a classroom if the object is unrelated to instruction.

The plaintiff, Marisol Arroyo-Castro, had taught in Connecticut public schools for 32 years before she was removed from her classroom at DiLoreto Elementary & Middle School in December last year.

Public Schools Can’t Prohibit Prayer And Promote Witchcraft– thefederalist.com

pgnewser October 22, 2025

Blurb:

When a public high school in Orange County, Florida, aired a weekly “Witchy Wednesday” religious video series on the schoolwide TV system, led by students and featuring detailed instructions on casting spells and performing rituals, including soul cleansing and moon worship, many parents were stunned.

The school canceled the series after public outcry and intervention from Liberty Counsel, in which the legal group asked for equal time for Christian instruction. But the larger question remains: Why would a public school introduce spiritual practices rooted in witchcraft to impressionable young students, and what does this reveal about the direction of public education?

CBS News’ Bari Weiss Just Made Her First Termination as New Editor in Chief– townhall.com

pgnewser October 21, 2025

Blurb:

We all knew heads were going to roll when Bari Weiss took the editor-in-chief job at CBS News, following the purchase of her Free Press venture. It’s why liberals were so mad about this move made at the network. Its staffers were going to be forced to report on what actually happens. The rot of old had to be cleaned out, so Weiss took her first “scalp” in what will likely be a long list of cuts to get things right at CBS News (via NY Post):

The head of CBS News’ standards and practices unit — who presided over some of the network’s recent controversial, woke reporting — is out as new boss Bari Weiss looks to bring more balance to the left-leaning network.

Claudia Milne, who ran the division responsible for the moral, ethical and legal implications of CBS programming, is the first senior executive to leave the network since Weiss arrived as editor in chief earlier this month.

Although Milne’s job had been “slowly phased out,” a CBS source called her departure “significant.”

“She was part of the woke mob at CBS News. It shows an editorial shift in how CBS will operate,” the person said, speculating that “this is Bari’s first scalp.”

They took this case to delay the trial': Weissmann blasts SCOTUS ...

SCOTUS lets unconstitutional Civil Judgment against Alex Jones stand

pgnewser October 16, 2025

In a stunning blow to Rule of Law, the Supreme Court of the United States just upheld an egregious $1.4 billion settlement against Alex Jones for accusing the parents of the victims of Sandy Hook of lying about the shooting. The ruling is only increasing the call to President Trump to declare martial law to deal with the insurrection within our own courts.

Blurb:

On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court rejected Alex Jones’ appeal of $1.4 billion Sandy Hook judgment.

Alex Jones owed families who lost their children that day $1.4 billion for claiming the massacre was a hoax. Regardless of his remarks how is $1.4 billion a reasonable punishment for speaking your opinion?

CBS News - Live Breaking News - Apps on Google Play

CBS Executive Hints at Center-Right News Shift

pgnewser October 9, 2025

Following the hiring of Bari Weiss as CBS’ Editor in Chief, Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison said, “We want CBS to speak to that 70% of the audience that would really define themselves as center-left to center-right.” The declaration has CBS “insiders” leaking complaints and warnings to both Ellison and Weiss not to touch CBS’ now-discredited sacred cows, 60 Minutes and CBS Sunday Morning.

New Owners’ Centrist Edict at CBS News Roils Reportorial Ranks

from www.dailysignal.com

Blurb:

The aerobic freakout has begun inside the liberal media over the new owners of CBS News appointing “anti-woke” Bari Weiss to the new post of editor-in-chief.

None of the CBS veterans want a new boss with a new ideology. They like pretending they don’t have an ideology. They call themselves courageously “independent.”

Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison wants to put CBS News firmly in the middle: “We want CBS to speak to that 70% of the audience that would really define themselves as center-left to center-right.”

In her initial memo to employees, Weiss stated several principles that are absolute anathema inside CBS: “Journalism that holds both American political parties to equal scrutiny” and “Journalism that embraces a wide spectrum of views and voices so that the audience can contend with the best arguments on all sides of a debate.”

The anonymous leakers are already on fire. Jeremy Barr of The Guardian spread the early spurts: “CBS News veterans I’ve talked to are encouraging Bari Weiss to not mess with the Golden Goose(s) of ’60 Minutes’ and ‘CBS News Sunday Morning.’”

What makes them “golden”? They’re the opposite of the Weiss principles. They rely on a narrow spectrum of ideas and persistently favor one political party over another.

“60 Minutes” is notoriously pro-Democrat, from Steve Kroft trying to save Bill Clinton‘s 1992 campaign from the early adultery charges of his mistress, Gennifer Flowers, to Kroft performing a series of blatantly promotional interviews with Barack Obama, starting in 2008.

 

Gay or straight, let's embrace the language of marriage equality ...

Louisville Cannot Force Photographer to Photo Gay Wedding

pgnewser October 7, 2025

Gay or straight, let's embrace the language of marriage equality ...

U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton has ruled that Chelsey Nelson cannot be forced to photograph a gay wedding due to her religious convictions that homosexual marriage is not righteous marriage. The entity seeking to force her to do it was the government of Louisville, KY. They knowingly defied a SCOTUS ruling in the hope Nelson would not have the resources to legally challenge the attack on her 1st Amendment Rights.

Alliance Defending Freedom Attorney Bryan Neihart said of the ruling, “Free speech is fore everyone. As the Supreme Court held two years ago in 303 Creative v Elenis, Americans have the freedom to express and create messages that align with their beliefs without fear of government punishment. The First Amendment leaves decisions about what to say with the people, not with the government.”

Christian Photographer Wins Major Free-Speech Victory in Louisville Ruling– www.standingforfreedom.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

A federal judge has permanently barred Louisville from forcing a Christian wedding photographer to provide services for same-sex weddings against her religious beliefs under the guise of its non-discrimination law.

U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton, appointed by President Donald Trump, issued the decision Tuesday in the case first brought by Chelsey Nelson in 2022. The ruling upholds previous orders blocking the city from enforcing a nondiscrimination law against her and also awards her nominal damages.

Nelson, who believes that marriage is between one man and one woman, has said that she cannot photograph same-sex weddings. She argued that the city’s ordinance violated her rights under the First Amendment and Kentucky’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Nelson first won a ruling in her favor in 2022, but the city appealed, and she also sought damages. The case was sent back to the district court by the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in 303 Creative v. Elenis, which held that states cannot compel artists and others to express messages that go against their deeply held beliefs.

From the ashes: The Pentagon renovation | ASCE

Pentagon Partially Backtracks on strict Press Rules

pgnewser October 7, 2025

From the ashes: The Pentagon renovation | ASCE

Pentagon Revises Controversial Press Rules After Backlash, But Keeps Tough Conditions In Place: Report – Benzinga
Source Link
Excerpt:

The Pentagon announced on Monday that it has made changes to the new rules for journalists seeking access to the department. Under the new guidelines, journalists will no longer need departmental approval before publishing articles containing non-official information, reported The New York Times.

The revised draft states that journalists are not obligated to submit their work for approval before publication. However, it specifies situations in which journalists might be considered “security risks” and have their credentials revoked.

News outlets seeking Pentagon access will have one week to review and decide whether to sign the new policy. Those who decline may lose their press credentials. Signing indicates acknowledgment of the outlined policies and procedures.

In September, the Pentagon announced new rules requiring reporters covering the War Department to use only officially approved information or risk losing their press credentials.

MPR broadcasts Institute conversation with Bari Weiss – St. Olaf ...

CBS Picks Anti-Woke Champion to Helm Revived News Division

pgnewser October 6, 2025 2

The DNC may have lost one of its illegal campaign advertisers in CBS, who selected an anti-woke news activist, Bari Weiss, to be her now editor-in-chief. Cenk Uygur of the Young Turks captured the mood of the left in response when he declared, CBS News is naming Bari Weiss Editor in Chief, which will make CBS News useless. She is indisputably biased towards Israel. In fact, that’s why she was hired.

Journalists Are Furious Over the New Anti-Woke Pick to Lead CBS News– www.westernjournal.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

Social media posts on Friday showed left-wing journalists and public figures are furious about CBS News picking The Free Press co-founder Bari Weiss as its new editor-in-chief.

CBS News’ parent company, Paramount, is expected to announce a deal to buy The Free Press, which Weiss co-founded with her self-proclaimed spouse Nellie Bowles, and make her the new editor-in-chief as part of the deal. Liberals on social media are raging about elevating Weiss to the prominent role, complaining about her pro-Israel stance and hesitance toward far-left ideologies.

“CBS News is naming Bari Weiss Editor in Chief, which will make CBS News useless,” The Young Turks’ Cenk Uygur said. “She is indisputably biased towards Israel. In fact, that’s why she was hired. According to @nypost, ‘Weiss’s strong pro-Israel stance is one of the factors that is said to have appealed to [Paramount SkyDance Corporation CEO] David Ellison.”

MSNBC host Chris Hayes compared Weiss to Vice President J.D. Vance and said they have “very similar skills,” implying that she is a right-winger who aligns with President Donald Trump. Weiss does not identify as conservative and notably has politically centrist views.

“Bari Weiss and JD Vance are very similar figures with very similar skills,” Hayes wrote on BlueSky, a left-wing social media site.

Bari Weiss and JD Vance are very similar figures with very similar skills.

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes.bsky.social) October 2, 2025 at 11:58 PM

NYU caves, reinstates free speech event after backlash– www.thecollegefix.com

pgnewser October 6, 2025

NYU caves, reinstates free speech event after backlash– www.thecollegefix.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

Key Takeaways

  • New York University has agreed to host a free speech event featuring law scholar Ilya Shapiro after initially canceling it due to security concerns.
  • The event is set for Oct. 7, coinciding with the two-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, and will discuss free speech controversies and campus antisemitism.
  • Shapiro criticized NYU for its initial cancellation, suggesting it reflected a bias against non-progressive speakers and described the situation as a classic heckler’s veto.

New York University has “magically found a way to host” an event featuring law scholar Ilya Shapiro, agreeing to secure a venue for the speech on campus after administrators initially canceled the event, citing security concerns.

The event is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 7 — the two-year anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel — and will go on as originally planned, the Federalist Society announced late Friday.

Is Hate Speech Illegal?

California’s Vague ‘Hate Speech’ Bill Would Censor Conservatives– thefederalist.com

pgnewser October 6, 2025

Is Hate Speech Illegal?

California’s Vague ‘Hate Speech’ Bill Would Censor Conservatives– thefederalist.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

California lawmakers are once again leading the charge — not toward progress, but toward repression. Their latest move, Senate Bill 771 (SB-771), is being packaged as a bold stand against “hate” on social media. In reality, it’s a direct assault on the free expression and constitutionally protected speech of ministries, minority groups, and faith-based organizations.

The bill would force Big Tech to remove content that could be interpreted as “harassment” or “intimidation” based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and more — or face financially devastating lawsuits.

If Gov. Gavin Newsom signs this bill into law as expected, it will become one of the most dangerous speech-restricting laws in the country. Cloaked in the language of civil rights, SB-771 is built to punish dissent from progressive orthodoxy.

The target is anyone who dares to speak publicly about values or perspectives that conflict with the state’s ever-expanding list of protected identities. In practice, this means community groups sharing discussions on traditional family structures, cultural views on gender roles, or advocacy for certain social issues may find themselves silenced — not by law enforcement, but by tech giants eager to avoid legal risk.

Schmitt Leverages Free Speech Case to Push Strategy Against Left– www.newsbusters.org

pgnewser August 22, 2025

Source Link
Excerpt:

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) urged Republicans to continue to use the court system to counter leftist policies, drawing on his success in cases like Missouri v. Biden, which exposed the Biden administration’s censorship agenda.

In a Fox News Sunday interview, Schmitt discussed his new book, The Last Line of Defense: How to Beat the Left in Court, and called on Americans to “stand up and fight” for their values, including free speech, using similar legal strategies as the left.

LGBTQ Agenda: Bipartisan social media bill reintroduced, but whether free speech concerns are addressed is unclear – Bay Area Reporter

pgnewser June 3, 2025

Source Link
Excerpt:

Republican and Democratic Senate leaders applauded the recent reintroduction of an internet regulation bill. The legislation had previously faced opposition from a smorgasbord of LGBTQ, free speech, and conservative voices and it’s unclear whether their concerns are addressed in the new bill.

The Kids Online Safety Act passed the United States Senate last year in a 91-3 vote. It had support that ran the gamut from then-President Joe Biden to Tesla and X chief and Donald Trump megadonor Elon Musk. But the House of Representatives never voted on it, and it had to be reintroduced in the new 119th Congress.

It was reintroduced in the Senate on May 14 by its authors U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), with support from Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York).

According to a bill summary authored by the Library of Congress, the legislation would require “applications or services that connect to the internet and are likely to be used by minors” to “act in the best interest of a minor using its application or service. This includes a duty to prevent and mitigate heightened risks of harms that may arise from using the platform.”