Cristy Li

First Amendment Subject to Govt Oversight & Regulations???
Image: JDC@Twitter

(Washington Examiner) Federal bureaucrats reacting to the growing voice of Conservative news especially online are angling to curtail the media’s exemption from federal election laws governing political organizations–a potentially chilling intervention that the Chairman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Chairman Lee E. Goodman is vowing to fight.

“I think there are impulses in the government every day to second guess and look into the editorial decisions of Conservative publishers–The right has begun to break the Left’s media monopoly particularly through new media outlets like the Internet and I sense that some on the Left are starting to rethink the breadth  of the media’s exemption and Internet communications.”

Goodman cited several examples where the FEC has considered regulating Conservative media such as Drudge Report, Sean Hannity and Citizens United Film Division. Liberals over the years have been pushing for a change in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ‘fairness doctrine’ to choke-off Conservative voices.

“The picking and choosing has started to occur…There are some in this (FEC) building that think we can actually regulate (silence) media,” added Goodman.

In February I wrote here the out of control FCC proposed putting ‘government monitors’ in newsrooms to inspect issues such as the amount of time spent on news which they determine to be of ‘critical importance’ and would permit government agents to look over the shoulders of reporters, editors and station owners, about how they decide which stories to run.

When was the First Amendment repealed?

(Washington Free Beacon) The Obama Administration by and through HHS (which by the way has been responsible for the ObamaCare roll-out disaster) now is seeking a ‘social media analytical tool’ that will give the government access to ‘full Twitter historical data’ according to a Fed Biz Opps.gov solicitation posted this week.

Yesterday I wrote here that the Obama Administration now wants to put government agents into newsrooms to pressure media organizations into covering certain stories which it deems to be suitable for dissemination and demand reporters, editors and station owners justify the stories which they run.

First the NSA began spying on every American, then the government went after FOX News and James Rosen next the Obama Administration went after the Little Sisters of the Poor after seizing control of health care, then the IRS went after ‘Tea Party’ groups that objected to government policy.

When they come for you will anyone be left to speak up for you?

• Where does this government intrusion into peoples lives end?

• When were the First and Fourth Amendments to the Constitution repealed?

• Will Congress stop the lawless Obama Administration or just make more speeches (some excuses) about the chilling erosion of our civil liberties in an effort to raise money for the next election?

(Mediate) FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai in an editorial in the Wall Street Journal issued a warning to Americans that the agency will be putting ‘government monitors’ in newsrooms to inspect issues such as the amount of time is spent on the “critical information needs of the American public with special emphasis on vulnerable/disadvantaged populations.”

The Obama Administration has no place attempting to “pressuring media organizations into covering certain stories,” writes Pai of the 2013 proposal that would permit government agents to “grill reporters, editors and station owners about how they decide which stories to run.”

What a chilling erosion of our sacred 1st Amendment liberties which specifically protects free speech from government interference.

More here FCC Official Warns Agency Could Stifle Freedom of the Press

Related: Sign Petition–No Govt Monitors in Newsrooms –ACLJ