Latest news with #Emmerich
New York Times
27-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Mississippi Judge Lifts Order That Forced Newspaper to Remove an Editorial
A Mississippi judge on Wednesday lifted an order she had issued that required a newspaper to remove an editorial from its website, ending a case that had drawn national attention from press advocates who said the order was a blatant violation of the First Amendment. The judge, Crystal Wise Martin of Hinds County Chancery Court, lifted the order after Clarksdale city officials voted earlier this week to abandon their libel lawsuit against the local paper, The Clarksdale Press Register. On Thursday, Wyatt Emmerich, the president of Emmerich Newspapers, which owns the The Press Register, said that he planned to republish the editorial at the center of the case. 'As I warned them, it blew up in their face and it created a national outcry,' he said. 'It embarrassed the city, and they realized what they had done was a mistake.' Originally published on Feb. 8, with the headline 'Secrecy, deception erode public trust,' the editorial accused city officials of failing to notify the news media before they voted to push for a tax increase in the Mississippi Legislature. It suggested they might have advanced the proposal because they 'just want a few nights in Jackson to lobby for this idea — at public expense.' Clarksdale city officials sued The Press Register for libel on Feb. 14, saying that the editorial 'chilled and hindered' the mayor's ability to lobby for the legislation in Jackson, the state capital. On Feb. 18, Judge Martin granted the city's request for a temporary restraining order and required the newspaper to remove the editorial from its website. 'The injury in this case is defamation against public figures through actual malice in reckless disregard of the truth and interferes with their legitimate function to advocate for legislation they believe would help their municipality during this current legislative cycle,' she wrote. Groups that advocate for the news media fiercely criticized the order, calling it a clear violation of the right to free speech. The National Press Club, for instance, said that courts had made clear that 'the government cannot silence a newspaper just because it doesn't like what was printed.' On Monday, Clarksdale officials voted to drop their lawsuit. The mayor, Chuck Espy, said that the city had decided to reverse course because Mr. Emmerich had offered to publish a 'clarification' acknowledging that some of the language in the editorial was not clear. 'We are not here to fight with the newspaper,' Mr. Espy said. 'We just want the truth to be printed, bad or good. That's all we've asked for.' Mr. Emmerich said that he had initially suggested publishing a clarification in hopes of persuading the city not to file a lawsuit. But he said that offer 'went off the table and they knew that.' David Rubin, a lawyer at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a legal advocacy group that represented The Press Register, said in a statement that the demise of the case was an important victory. 'The implications of this case go beyond one Mississippi town censoring its paper of record,' Mr. Rubin said. 'If the government can get a court order silencing mere questions about its decisions, the First Amendment rights of all Americans are in jeopardy.'
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mississippi judge vacates her order that a newspaper remove its editorial criticizing local leaders
A Mississippi judge on Wednesday vacated her order that a newspaper remove its editorial criticizing local officials, days after a city decided to drop the lawsuit that spurred it. The judge's order had been widely condemned by free speech advocates as a clear violation of the paper's First Amendment rights. Chancery Judge Crystal Wise Martin had issued the restraining order against the Clarksdale Press Register last week, telling it to remove from its website a Feb. 8 editorial titled 'Secrecy, Deception Erode Public Trust.' The piece criticized the city for not sending the newspaper notice about a meeting the board held regarding a proposed tax on alcohol, marijuana and tobacco. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. The board of commissioners dropped the suit Monday at the request of Mayor Chuck Espy, who cited an offer from the paper's owner to run a clarification. However, Emmerich Newspapers president Wyatt Emmerich said he made that offer before the city filed its lawsuit and that it was no longer on the table. Emmerich had offered to clarify that the council said the lack of notification wasn't a deliberate attempt to hide the meeting, according to a text message Emmerich sent to the city attorney. The text also offered to clarify that a sentence questioning whether there was 'kick-back from the community' should have said 'push back.' The city's lawsuit called the editorial libelous and said it 'chilled and hindered' the city's efforts to lobby for the tax with state legislators. The newspaper and other critics of the ruling said the order was a clear example of prior restraint in violation of the First Amendment. The order drew widespread criticism from press groups and free speech advocates around the country, including the National Press Club and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression had agreed to represent the newspaper in court.
Washington Post
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Mississippi judge vacates her order that a newspaper remove its editorial criticizing local leaders
Associated Press — A Mississippi judge on Wednesday vacated her order that a newspaper remove its editorial criticizing local officials, days after a city decided to drop the lawsuit that spurred it. The judge's order had been widely condemned by free speech advocates as a clear violation of the paper's First Amendment rights. Chancery Judge Crystal Wise Martin had issued the restraining order against the Clarksdale Press Register last week, telling it to remove from its website a Feb. 8 editorial titled 'Secrecy, Deception Erode Public Trust.' The piece criticized the city for not sending the newspaper notice about a meeting the board held regarding a proposed tax on alcohol, marijuana and tobacco. The board of commissioners dropped the suit Monday at the request of Mayor Chuck Espy, who cited an offer from the paper's owner to run a clarification. However, Emmerich Newspapers president Wyatt Emmerich said he made that offer before the city filed its lawsuit and that it was no longer on the table. Emmerich had offered to clarify that the council said the lack of notification wasn't a deliberate attempt to hide the meeting, according to a text message Emmerich sent to the city attorney. The text also offered to clarify that a sentence questioning whether there was 'kick-back from the community' should have said 'push back.' The city's lawsuit called the editorial libelous and said it 'chilled and hindered' the city's efforts to lobby for the tax with state legislators. The newspaper and other critics of the ruling said the order was a clear example of prior restraint in violation of the First Amendment. The order drew widespread criticism from press groups and free speech advocates around the country, including the National Press Club and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression had agreed to represent the newspaper in court.
Boston Globe
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Mississippi judge vacates order for newspaper to remove editorial criticizing local leaders
The board of commissioners dropped the suit Monday at the request of Mayor Chuck Espy, who cited an offer from the paper's owner to run a clarification. However, Emmerich Newspapers president Wyatt Emmerich said he made that offer before the city filed its lawsuit and that it was no longer on the table. Emmerich had offered to clarify that the council said the lack of notification wasn't a deliberate attempt to hide the meeting, according to a text message Emmerich sent to the city attorney. The text also offered to clarify that a sentence questioning whether there was 'kick-back from the community' should have said 'push back.' Advertisement The city's lawsuit called the editorial libelous and said it 'chilled and hindered' the city's efforts to lobby for the tax with state legislators. The newspaper and other critics of the ruling said the order was a clear example of prior restraint in violation of the First Amendment. The order drew widespread criticism from press groups and free speech advocates around the country, including the National Press Club and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression had agreed to represent the newspaper in court.
The Independent
27-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Mississippi judge vacates her order that a newspaper remove its editorial criticizing local leaders
A Mississippi judge on Wednesday vacated her order that a newspaper remove its editorial criticizing local officials, days after a city decided to drop the lawsuit that spurred it. The judge's order had been widely condemned by free speech advocates as a clear violation of the paper's First Amendment rights. Chancery Judge Crystal Wise Martin had issued the restraining order against the Clarksdale Press Register last week, telling it to remove from its website a Feb. 8 editorial titled 'Secrecy, Deception Erode Public Trust.' The piece criticized the city for not sending the newspaper notice about a meeting the board held regarding a proposed tax on alcohol, marijuana and tobacco. The board of commissioners dropped the suit Monday at the request of Mayor Chuck Espy, who cited an offer from the paper's owner to run a clarification. However, Emmerich Newspapers president Wyatt Emmerich said he made that offer before the city filed its lawsuit and that it was no longer on the table. Emmerich had offered to clarify that the council said the lack of notification wasn't a deliberate attempt to hide the meeting, according to a text message Emmerich sent to the city attorney. The text also offered to clarify that a sentence questioning whether there was 'kick-back from the community' should have said 'push back.' The city's lawsuit called the editorial libelous and said it 'chilled and hindered' the city's efforts to lobby for the tax with state legislators. The newspaper and other critics of the ruling said the order was a clear example of prior restraint in violation of the First Amendment. The order drew widespread criticism from press groups and free speech advocates around the country, including the National Press Club and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression had agreed to represent the newspaper in court.
