Latest news with #1stAmendment
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Chris Kluwe, fired as football coach, sues Huntington Beach Union High School District
High school football practices started all across Southern California on Monday. One person not on the gridiron this year at Edison High is former NFL punter Chris Kluwe. Kluwe, who had been a freshman football coach for the Chargers for six years, was fired on Feb. 27. 'This is the time they're just getting into camp and learning everything, and I'm not there anymore,' he said. On Monday, Kluwe sued the Huntington Beach Union High School District, alleging his 1st and 14th Amendment rights were violated when he was terminated earlier this year for what the district claimed was an incendiary social media post. The complaint, filed in the Southern Division of the U.S. District Court Central District, also lists HBUHSD Supt. Carolee Ogata, Board of Trustees President Susan Henry, Asst. Supt. Daniel Bryan, then-Edison Principal Daniel Morris, Edison Assist. Principal Edward Begany and author Chris Epting, a former Los Angeles Times columnist, as defendants. The ACLU Foundation of Southern California is listed as co-counsel for Kluwe for his claims of retaliatory discharge, violations of his civil rights and deprivation of property and liberty without due process against HBUHSD. 'Rather than responsibly investigating what unmistakably involved 1st Amendment-protected speech about a hotly-debated political issue in the community, the school district played a politically-motivated game of 'gotcha,'' the complaint reads. 'The school district's sham decision-making process did not even include notifying Kluwe of an issue with his post, disclosing the school district policy he allegedly violated and asking for his side of the story. With any level of investigation, the school district would have discovered that a group of politically-motivated MAGA loyalists had launched a campaign to 'cancel' Kluwe — i.e., to get him fired because his liberal politics and calls for him to run for City Council disgusted them.' The school district declined to comment because the issue is a confidential personnel matter, HBUSHD spokeswoman Noel Anderson said in an email Monday. Epting is named in the suit, as Kluwe claimed he posted an cropped social media image that placed him in a false light and implied that he was violent. 'I'm comfortable that my 1st Amendment right allows me to offer my opinion on his posts while sharing exactly what he said publicly,' Epting said Monday. Kluwe was arrested at the Feb. 18 Huntington Beach City Council meeting after engaging in an act of peaceful civil disobedience. His comments at the meeting served to slam a plaque featuring the MAGA acrostic, which was approved to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Central Library. Five days later, he made a since-deleted post on social media platform Bluesky encouraging people to stop complaining to the library, and start complaining to the City Council. 'Stop [expletive] with the library,' the post read. 'That's what the City Council is doing. The library is great, as are the people who work there. Go [expletive] with the City Council. Find where they work, and blow *those* places up.' Kluwe said he met with the Edison athletic director and vice principal of supervision on Feb. 27, and was told he was being let go. The district issued a press release on March 3, referencing the post and stating that it 'does not condone or tolerate language that promotes or suggests violence in any form.' Kluwe said Monday the social media post, which had been paired with a video and was later deleted, was taken out of context and did not promote actual violence, rather the 'blowing up' of phone lines with complaints. 'I was making the comments as a private citizen, and as far as I'm aware, the 1st Amendment is still intact,' said Kluwe, 43. 'That means, as a private citizen, you can speak out on matters of public import … That's why we have the 1st Amendment, right, to make sure that if someone is let go for their speech, then we have to figure out, was that protected speech or not?' Kluwe, who has announced that he is planning a state Assembly District 72 run next year, is represented by attorneys from Irvine-based Crowell & Moring LLP as well as Anne Brafford of Huntington Beach. The complaint demands a jury trial. During his time in professional football, Kluwe threatened to sue the Minnesota Vikings after he alleged they released him because he was an LGBTQ+ activist. A settlement was eventually reached, with the team agreeing to donate to groups that support gay rights, implement sensitivity training and set up a national symposium on LGBTQ+ tolerance. 'It's not really a stable society if you can get fired from your job for something you're saying on your free time that really isn't damaging or harmful,' Kluwe said Monday. 'It's just you being a person. And so I think it's indicative of more of a broader problem in American society, that we've kind of weaponized the idea of going after someone's speech … I think it's unfortunate that we've reached a point in our society where it seems like the go-to is for people to instantly try to get someone fired, when they say something that person doesn't agree with.'
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Mailbag: O.C. student alarmed over proposed education funding cuts
I am a high school student and I am here this week in the ACLU National Advocacy Institute in Washington, D.C. to get a sense of how the law of the land extends throughout this country. That's why I became so alarmed to read that the U.S. Supreme Court has paved the way for mass layoffs at the Department of Education and the Trump administration has announced its intention to close it. In its functions, this department ensures just funding, the protection of civil rights and the support of special needs children. It would be the students in lower-resourced communities, many of whom are in my own community, Santa Ana, who would most bear the brunt of it being broken apart. Without federal action, there is a fear that educational justice will be left behind. This is not an abstract issue to me. It affects my peers, my educators and my future. I strongly encourage leaders and communities to give this plan the thumbs down and demand a public, regulated and equitable education system. Sahib GrewalSanta Ana I've been participating in Indivisible protests near my home here in Huntington Beach for several months. As a person in my 70s and a retired high school American government teacher, I've been greatly affected by America's drift toward authoritarianism since the reelection of Donald Trump as president. Thus, I need to be out there — for myself but also in defense of the lessons I taught in my classroom about the inviolability of Constitutional law and the Bill of Rights. Each week, I stand on the curb with my sign that reads 'This is not normal.' Horns are honked in support and fingers are thrust in the air in opposition. I even had one young man in a pickup pull over to the curb where I was standing and tell me to 'go back to the senior citizens' home.' That one hurt, but, thankfully, this is a free country where the 1st Amendment protects his free speech. Then, recently, the vituperative responses crossed a line for me. First, a young father drove by angrily throwing an obscene gesture towards the protesters as his small daughter seated in a child's seat looked on. Then, a little later, a car drove past with a little boy, maybe 10 years old, making an obscene gesture out of the back seat of the car toward the protest. I suspect he was emulating his dad (or his mom). Tragically, the breakdown of civility and civil discourse would appear to be destined to last for generations. Parents would do well to remember that the kids are watching how we handle this national crisis. Lorraine GayerHuntington Beach Since Donald Trump took the oath of office last January, I have read and reread the inscription at the Statue of Liberty several times. In part, it reads: '… A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of silent lips. 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore...' It's not surprising that many artists are now depicting the Mother of Exiles — the Statue of Liberty — kneeling, her face hidden in her hands. Today's America, which is marked by presidential attacks on judges, law firms, and the judicial system itself, stands sharply at odds with this nation's enduring symbol of freedom. Equally troubling are the White House-approved ICE raids targeting communities of color. Simply put, these raids are designed to inflict cruelty. If you believe these raids will end soon, you're mistaken. ICE agents, equipped with the names, addresses, and phone numbers of over 79 million Medicaid recipients, have unprecedented reach into private homes — day or night. It won't matter where you live in Orange County, if agents determine you should be deported, it's only a matter of time before they will start pounding on your door. The rule of law, freedom of speech, and the right to peaceful protest have been fundamental to American democracy since its inception. Anyone who has visited the Statue of Liberty knows it represents more than decency; it serves as a powerful reminder that freedom is always worth protecting, no matter which way the political winds blow. If you ask me, today this principle is more crucial than ever. Denny FreidenrichLaguna Beach Re: 'Mariachi Nationals Summer Institute plays on in Anaheim, despite loss of NEA funding,' July 20. I just read the piece to my dad; we are blown away. Thank you for covering our annual camp. Having support from local partners such as TimesOC and Los Angeles Times is so important to continuing first, the folk genre itself, and second, exposure to donors who can help bring our goals to life. José Hernandez Newport Beach
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
FCC approves Paramount-Skydance merger following protracted political tug-of-war
David Ellison stepped within reach of his hard-fought prize, Paramount Global, after winning regulators' blessing for his Skydance Media's $8-billion takeover of the storied media company. President Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr approved the Skydance-Paramount merger Thursday after months of turmoil and a monumental collision between the president's broad powers and press freedoms. Carr's consent came just three weeks after Paramount agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle the president's lawsuit over edits to a '60 Minutes' broadcast. Trump had claimed CBS producers doctored the October interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris to boost her election chances. CBS denied his allegations, saying the edits were routine. 1st Amendment experts called Trump's suit 'frivolous.' But, after months of internal upheaval, Paramount capitulated. The move was widely seen as a prerequisite for Skydance to win FCC approval and push the Paramount-Skydance merger over the finish line. Trump has said on social media that, as part of the settlement, he also expects the new owners to provide another $20 million in public service announcements and other free programming. 'Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly. It is time for a change,' Carr said in a statement. 'That is why I welcome Skydance's commitment to make significant changes at the once storied CBS broadcast network.' The FCC approval clears the final regulatory hurdle for the acquisition that will bring another technology titan to Hollywood. Carr authorized the transfer of Paramount's CBS television station licenses to Larry Ellison, Oracle's co-founder who ranks among the world's richest men, and his family. The Ellisons' takeover of Paramount is expected to be complete in the coming days. Santa Monica-based Skydance, which is owned by the Ellison family and private equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, faces an uphill slog to restore Paramount to its former glory. Years of programming under-investments, management missteps and ownership turmoil have taken a heavy toll. Viewers' shift to streaming has upended Paramount's TV networks, CBS, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, MTV and BET. Paramount Pictures lags behind Disney, Universal, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. Sumner Redstone's family will exit the Hollywood stage, after nearly 40 years. The pugnacious mogul from Boston, who died five years ago, presided during an era of entertainment excesses in the 80s, 90s and early aughts — when Paramount released beloved blockbusters and cable television was in its hey-day.
Los Angeles Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
CBS News names veteran producer Tanya Simon to lead ‘60 Minutes'
While '60 Minutes' will soon have a new owner, the CBS newsmagazine's next executive producer is coming from inside the family. Tanya Simon, a 25-year veteran of the program, will take on the role vacated by Bill Owens in April. She has served as interim executive producer since his departure. She is the daughter of the late Bob Simon, one of the best known correspondents during the program's 57 year history. Changes at the top of '60 Minutes' have been rare. Simon will be only the fourth executive producer in the program's history and the first woman. Simon's appointment will be a relief to the program's staff, where morale has been rocked by parent company Paramount Global's battle with President Trump. The correspondents of the program signed a letter to company co-chairman George Cheeks urging him to give Simon the job. Simon will have the backing of her colleagues who are thankful they won't be dealing with an outsider who might not value the program's editorial rigor and independence. But she will be faced with the challenge of navigating the operation after one of the most difficult periods in its history. Paramount Global agreed to pay $16 million to settle Trump's lawsuit against '60 Minutes' over the editing of an interview with his 2024 opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump claimed the interviews was deceptively edited to aid Harris in the election. The case was labeled as frivolous by 1st Amendment experts and the settlement widely seen as a capitulation to Trump in order to clear a path for Paramount's $8-billion merger with David Ellison's Skydance Media. While '60 Minutes' did not issue an apology or acknowledge any wrongdoing, the program is likely to face intense scrutiny going forward. Critics will be looking for signs of the program pulling its punches in reporting on Trump. In order to clear the Paramount Global deal with the FCC, Skydance has agreed to name a news division ombudsman that will report to the company's president for at least the next two years. 'Tanya Simon understands what makes '60 Minutes' tick,' CBS News President Tom Cibrowski said in. a statement 'She is an innovative leader, an exceptional producer, and someone who knows how to inspire people,' ' Simon got her start at CBS News in 1996 as a researcher for its other newsmagazine '48 Hours.' She joined '60 Minutes' in 2000, working with correspondent Ed Bradley on a variety of reports including the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. She went on to produce for nearly all of the program's correspondents including her father. Her work has earned virtually every major broadcast honor, including multiple Emmy Awards, the Peabody and the DuPont-Columbia Award.
Boston Globe
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Sentencing hearing set for ex-Kentucky officer convicted in Breonna Taylor raid
Though the sentence could amount to several years, if U.S. District Judge Grady Jennings heeds the Justice Department's request, it would mean none of the Louisville police officers involved in the raid would face prison time. Advertisement Last week, the U.S. Justice Department recommended no prison time for Hankison, in an abrupt about-face by federal prosecutors that has angered critics after the department spent years prosecuting the former detective. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The Justice Department, which has changed leadership under President Donald Trump since Hankison's conviction, said in a sentencing memo last week that 'there is no need for a prison sentence to protect the public' from Hankison. Federal prosecutors suggested time already served, which amounts to one day, and three years of supervised probation. Prosecutors at his previous federal trials aggressively pursued a conviction against Hankison, 49, arguing that he blindly fired 10 shots into Taylor's windows without identifying a target. Taylor was shot in her hallway by two other officers after her boyfriend fired from inside the apartment, striking an officer in the leg. Neither of the other officers was charged in state or federal court after prosecutors deemed they were justified in returning fire into the apartment. Louisville police used a drug warrant to enter the apartment, but found no drugs or cash inside. Advertisement A separate jury deadlocked on federal charges against Hankison in 2023, and he was acquitted on state charges of wanton endangerment in 2022. In their recent sentencing memo, federal prosecutors wrote that though Hankison's 'response in these fraught circumstances was unreasonable given the benefit of hindsight, that unreasonable response did not kill or wound Breonna Taylor, her boyfriend, her neighbors, defendant's fellow officers, or anyone else.' Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who helped Taylor's family secure a $12 million wrongful death settlement against the city of Louisville, has called the Justice Department recommendation 'an insult to the life of Breonna Taylor and a blatant betrayal of the jury's decision.' He added in a social media post that it 'sends the unmistakable message that white officers can violate the civil rights of Black Americans with near-total impunity.' On Monday, the Louisville Metro Police Department arrested four people in front of the courthouse who it said were 'creating confrontation, kicking vehicles, or otherwise creating an unsafe environment.' Authorities didn't list the charges those arrested would face. 'We understand this case caused pain and damaged trust between our department and the community,' a police statement said. 'We particularly respect and value the 1st Amendment. However, what we saw today in front of the courthouse in the street was not safe, acceptable or legal.' A U.S. Probation Office presentencing report said Hankison should face a range of 135 to 168 months imprisonment on the excessive force conviction, according to the memo. But federal prosecutors said multiple factors — including that Hankison's two other trials ended with no convictions — should greatly reduce the potential punishment. Advertisement The memorandum was submitted by Harmeet Dhillon, chief of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and a Trump political appointee who in May moved to cancel settlements with Louisville and Minneapolis that had called for overhauling their police departments. In the Taylor case, three other ex-Louisville police officers have been charged with crafting a falsified warrant, but have not gone to trial. None were at the scene when Taylor was shot.
