Judge blocks FTC probe into liberal media watchdog

Source: msn/Washington Post

12h


A federal judge in Washington blocked the Federal Trade Commission from carrying out investigative demands against Media Matters for America, ruling Friday that the agency was likely violating the left-leaning media watchdog group's First Amendment rights.

U.S. District Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan issued a preliminary injunction against the probe, finding that the FTC's demand for documents in a civil investigation constitutes retaliation for protected speech and a "straightforward First Amendment violation."

Media Matters sued the FTC and its commissioners in June 23 over what it called a "campaign of retribution." While Sooknanan's injunction doesn't resolve the lawsuit, it signaled her conviction that Media Matters was likely to succeed on the merits of its case.

"It should alarm all Americans when the Government retaliates against individuals or organizations for engaging in constitutionally protected public debate," wrote Sooknanan, a Biden appointee. "And that alarm should ring even louder when the Government retaliates against those engaged in newsgathering and reporting."

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/judge-blocks-ftc-probe-into-liberal-media-watchdog/ar-AA1KC2Wh