Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
@rcfp.org
The Reporters Committee provides free legal help to journalists and protects their First Amendment rights. (RCFP for short.) Find us at rcfp.org.
☎️ Legal Hotline: 800-336-4243 | hotline@rcfp.org
✉️ Sign up for our newsletters: rcfp.org/subscribe
☎️ Legal Hotline: 800-336-4243 | hotline@rcfp.org
✉️ Sign up for our newsletters: rcfp.org/subscribe
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Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press provides free legal guides and resources to help reporters understand their rights.
rcfp.org
👋 We’re the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP), a nonpartisan nonprofit that provides free legal help to journalists and protects their First Amendment + newsgathering rights.
Follow us to keep up with the fight for #pressfreedom!
Learn more at rcfp.org and in the thread below 👇
Follow us to keep up with the fight for #pressfreedom!
Learn more at rcfp.org and in the thread below 👇
🚨 New York journalists: On Jan. 22, join us for a free training that will provide you with a clear understanding of your rights when covering immigration enforcement.
Details + RSVP:
Details + RSVP:
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Legal training for NY-based journalists. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
This legal training will provide New York–based journalists with a clear, practical understanding of their rights and responsibilities when covering immigration issues and encounters involving law enf...
us06web.zoom.us
December 26, 2025 at 8:47 PM
🚨 New York journalists: On Jan. 22, join us for a free training that will provide you with a clear understanding of your rights when covering immigration enforcement.
Details + RSVP:
Details + RSVP:
For months, the public was kept in the dark regarding a wide-ranging prosecution into an interstate drug ring. But a judge recently lifted the veil of secrecy after an @rcfp.org attorney fought to unseal court records on behalf of three local news outlets.
Lehigh County judge orders unsealing of criminal dockets tied to interstate drug ring prosecutions
Represented by an RCFP attorney, three Pennsylvania news outlets fought to make the dockets and judicial records public.
www.rcfp.org
December 26, 2025 at 3:56 PM
For months, the public was kept in the dark regarding a wide-ranging prosecution into an interstate drug ring. But a judge recently lifted the veil of secrecy after an @rcfp.org attorney fought to unseal court records on behalf of three local news outlets.
From the president of the United States down to state and local officials, the public’s right to know is under attack.
With your support, @rcfp.org can fight back.
If you value a free press, make a donation today:
With your support, @rcfp.org can fight back.
If you value a free press, make a donation today:
Support Press Freedom in 2025 | The Reporters Committee
When America's free press is under threat, journalists know that they have one place to go: the Reporters Committee.
www.rcfp.org
December 23, 2025 at 8:51 PM
From the president of the United States down to state and local officials, the public’s right to know is under attack.
With your support, @rcfp.org can fight back.
If you value a free press, make a donation today:
With your support, @rcfp.org can fight back.
If you value a free press, make a donation today:
Charlotte police released bodycam footage that sheds light on the criminal history of the man accused of a fatal light-rail train stabbing.
The move came after an @rcfp.org attorney helped a @charlotteobserver.com reporter fight for its disclosure in court.
The move came after an @rcfp.org attorney helped a @charlotteobserver.com reporter fight for its disclosure in court.
Newly released bodycam footage shows prior arrest of man charged in Charlotte light rail stabbing
An RCFP attorney helped a Charlotte Observer reporter successfully petition for the disclosure of the video.
www.rcfp.org
December 23, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Charlotte police released bodycam footage that sheds light on the criminal history of the man accused of a fatal light-rail train stabbing.
The move came after an @rcfp.org attorney helped a @charlotteobserver.com reporter fight for its disclosure in court.
The move came after an @rcfp.org attorney helped a @charlotteobserver.com reporter fight for its disclosure in court.
In 2025, @rcfp.org and our attorneys:
🏛️ Litigated 120+ matters on behalf of journalists
📝 Filed 75+ friend-of-the-court briefs promoting press freedom
☎️ Fielded 700+ inquiries to our Legal Hotline
🎓 Trained 2,600+ on legal rights
🔍 Vetted 30+ stories and documentaries
Read our year-end review:
🏛️ Litigated 120+ matters on behalf of journalists
📝 Filed 75+ friend-of-the-court briefs promoting press freedom
☎️ Fielded 700+ inquiries to our Legal Hotline
🎓 Trained 2,600+ on legal rights
🔍 Vetted 30+ stories and documentaries
Read our year-end review:
Defending press freedom from unprecedented threat: RCFP’s 2025 year in review
In the face of repeated attacks on press freedom, RCFP stepped up time and again to defend journalists and the public’s right to know.
www.rcfp.org
December 22, 2025 at 9:14 PM
In 2025, @rcfp.org and our attorneys:
🏛️ Litigated 120+ matters on behalf of journalists
📝 Filed 75+ friend-of-the-court briefs promoting press freedom
☎️ Fielded 700+ inquiries to our Legal Hotline
🎓 Trained 2,600+ on legal rights
🔍 Vetted 30+ stories and documentaries
Read our year-end review:
🏛️ Litigated 120+ matters on behalf of journalists
📝 Filed 75+ friend-of-the-court briefs promoting press freedom
☎️ Fielded 700+ inquiries to our Legal Hotline
🎓 Trained 2,600+ on legal rights
🔍 Vetted 30+ stories and documentaries
Read our year-end review:
For decades, questions swirled over the mysterious death of federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna in rural Pennsylvania.
With the help of an @rcfp.org attorney, @lancasteronline.bsky.social waged a yearslong battle to unseal Luna’s autopsy report, shedding new light on the case.
With the help of an @rcfp.org attorney, @lancasteronline.bsky.social waged a yearslong battle to unseal Luna’s autopsy report, shedding new light on the case.
Unsealed autopsy reveals details about mysterious death of prosecutor Jonathan Luna
An RCFP attorney represented LNP | LancasterOnline in its yearslong legal battle to unseal the records.
www.rcfp.org
December 22, 2025 at 5:48 PM
For decades, questions swirled over the mysterious death of federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna in rural Pennsylvania.
With the help of an @rcfp.org attorney, @lancasteronline.bsky.social waged a yearslong battle to unseal Luna’s autopsy report, shedding new light on the case.
With the help of an @rcfp.org attorney, @lancasteronline.bsky.social waged a yearslong battle to unseal Luna’s autopsy report, shedding new light on the case.
@rcfp.org is urging Michigan lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow courts to quickly dismiss meritless lawsuits intended to chill speech about matters of public interest.
RCFP urges Michigan lawmakers to pass anti-SLAPP bill
The legislation would allow courts to quickly weed out meritless lawsuits intended to chill speech about matters of public interest.
www.rcfp.org
December 21, 2025 at 3:54 PM
@rcfp.org is urging Michigan lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow courts to quickly dismiss meritless lawsuits intended to chill speech about matters of public interest.
Some of the Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board’s practices raise “significant concerns about compliance” with Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act, @rcfp.org's Paula Knudsen Burke wrote in a letter on behalf of journalist Jordana Rosenfeld.
Advocates warn Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board meeting practices may violate state law
The Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board is facing scrutiny over its use of closed-door committee meetings to discuss issues including uses of force and health care.
www.wesa.fm
December 20, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Some of the Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board’s practices raise “significant concerns about compliance” with Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act, @rcfp.org's Paula Knudsen Burke wrote in a letter on behalf of journalist Jordana Rosenfeld.
On Jan. 22, @rcfp.org's Jen Nelson will lead a virtual training on covering immigration enforcement — helping journalists plan ahead, make real-time decisions, and stay protected in unpredictable environments.
Presented by @journalists.org and IWMF, with support from @fordfoundation.org. RSVP 👇
Presented by @journalists.org and IWMF, with support from @fordfoundation.org. RSVP 👇
Redux: Legal Rights and Risks for Journalists Covering Immigration Enforcement – ONA Events
This session draws on the expertise of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) to give journalists concrete, legally grounded strategies for gathering ... Learn more.
journalists.org
December 19, 2025 at 6:36 PM
On Jan. 22, @rcfp.org's Jen Nelson will lead a virtual training on covering immigration enforcement — helping journalists plan ahead, make real-time decisions, and stay protected in unpredictable environments.
Presented by @journalists.org and IWMF, with support from @fordfoundation.org. RSVP 👇
Presented by @journalists.org and IWMF, with support from @fordfoundation.org. RSVP 👇
@rcfp.org attorneys, on behalf of @theintercept.com + @revealnews.org, are challenging the secrecy around court records that contain details about the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement against students or faculty who engage in pro-Palestinian speech.
News outlets fight to unseal court records in dispute over Trump’s deportation policy
RCFP attorneys are co-representing The Intercept and The Center for Investigative Reporting in the case.
www.rcfp.org
December 19, 2025 at 3:19 PM
@rcfp.org attorneys, on behalf of @theintercept.com + @revealnews.org, are challenging the secrecy around court records that contain details about the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement against students or faculty who engage in pro-Palestinian speech.
In recent testimony submitted to the U.S. Senate, @rcfp.org renewed its call for the Department of Homeland Security to protect the safety and 1A rights of journalists covering immigration enforcement activity.
RCFP: DHS must adopt policies to help protect journalists covering immigration enforcement
In Senate testimony, RCFP highlights several incidents in which journalists were arrested or injured while covering DHS operations.
www.rcfp.org
December 18, 2025 at 5:15 PM
In recent testimony submitted to the U.S. Senate, @rcfp.org renewed its call for the Department of Homeland Security to protect the safety and 1A rights of journalists covering immigration enforcement activity.
In the face of repeated attacks on America's free press — from President Trump to state agencies to local officials — @rcfp.org stepped up to defend journalists’ First Amendment freedoms and the public’s right to know.
Read our 2025 year in review: www.rcfp.org/2025-year-in...
Read our 2025 year in review: www.rcfp.org/2025-year-in...
December 17, 2025 at 3:11 PM
In the face of repeated attacks on America's free press — from President Trump to state agencies to local officials — @rcfp.org stepped up to defend journalists’ First Amendment freedoms and the public’s right to know.
Read our 2025 year in review: www.rcfp.org/2025-year-in...
Read our 2025 year in review: www.rcfp.org/2025-year-in...
As the year draws to a close, the need to defend press freedom has never been more urgent.
A donation to @rcfp.org directly supports our mission to protect journalists and their First Amendment rights across the U.S.
Make a gift today:
A donation to @rcfp.org directly supports our mission to protect journalists and their First Amendment rights across the U.S.
Make a gift today:
Support Press Freedom in 2025 | The Reporters Committee
When America's free press is under threat, journalists know that they have one place to go: the Reporters Committee.
www.rcfp.org
December 17, 2025 at 2:32 AM
As the year draws to a close, the need to defend press freedom has never been more urgent.
A donation to @rcfp.org directly supports our mission to protect journalists and their First Amendment rights across the U.S.
Make a gift today:
A donation to @rcfp.org directly supports our mission to protect journalists and their First Amendment rights across the U.S.
Make a gift today:
Reposted by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
December 10, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Given several recent incidents in which journalists were arrested or injured by federal agents while covering immigration enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security must adopt policies to help protect reporters and their newsgathering rights.
RCFP: DHS must adopt policies to help protect journalists covering immigration enforcement
In Senate testimony, RCFP highlights several incidents in which journalists were arrested or injured while covering DHS operations.
www.rcfp.org
December 15, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Given several recent incidents in which journalists were arrested or injured by federal agents while covering immigration enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security must adopt policies to help protect reporters and their newsgathering rights.
A proposed rule governing public access to state appellate court records in Tennessee would run afoul of the First Amendment and the state Constitution, @rcfp.org argues in comments submitted to the Tennessee Supreme Court.
RCFP: Proposed Tennessee court access rule raises constitutional concerns
If adopted, the rule would violate the First Amendment and Tennessee Constitution, RCFP argues.
www.rcfp.org
December 14, 2025 at 3:53 PM
A proposed rule governing public access to state appellate court records in Tennessee would run afoul of the First Amendment and the state Constitution, @rcfp.org argues in comments submitted to the Tennessee Supreme Court.
“Despite the fact that it's an uphill challenge, these lawsuits are worth bringing,” said @rcfp.org’s Paula Knudsen Burke. “[T]hey can play a crucial role in shining a spotlight on the actions of law enforcement in Pennsylvania.”
Inside RCFP attorneys’ fight for police transparency in Pennsylvania
Police bodycams were meant to deliver transparency, but in Pennsylvania, Act 22 makes that promise harder to keep.
www.rcfp.org
December 13, 2025 at 4:12 PM
“Despite the fact that it's an uphill challenge, these lawsuits are worth bringing,” said @rcfp.org’s Paula Knudsen Burke. “[T]hey can play a crucial role in shining a spotlight on the actions of law enforcement in Pennsylvania.”
@cornelllaw.bsky.social's First Amendment Clinic is recruiting a Local Journalism Project Attorney to provide pro bono legal services to journalists in Western Pennsylvania, among other responsibilities.
Plus, the position will collaborate with @rcfp.org and @publicsource.org! Apply by Dec. 15:
Plus, the position will collaborate with @rcfp.org and @publicsource.org! Apply by Dec. 15:
Academic Career Opportunities
apps.hr.cornell.edu
December 12, 2025 at 3:49 PM
@cornelllaw.bsky.social's First Amendment Clinic is recruiting a Local Journalism Project Attorney to provide pro bono legal services to journalists in Western Pennsylvania, among other responsibilities.
Plus, the position will collaborate with @rcfp.org and @publicsource.org! Apply by Dec. 15:
Plus, the position will collaborate with @rcfp.org and @publicsource.org! Apply by Dec. 15:
The indiscriminate force used against journalists covering immigration protests chills reporting on matters of public concern, @rcfp.org argues in a new friend-of-the-court brief.
RCFP: Federal government’s indiscriminate use of crowd-control tactics violates First Amendment
The indiscriminate force used against journalists covering protests chills reporting on matters of public concern and undermines the public’s right to know.
www.rcfp.org
December 11, 2025 at 10:08 PM
The indiscriminate force used against journalists covering immigration protests chills reporting on matters of public concern, @rcfp.org argues in a new friend-of-the-court brief.
@rcfp.org is honored to receive a grant from Glick Philanthropies!
This funding will fuel our Indiana Local Legal Initiative, which provides pro bono legal services for enterprise and investigative reporting in the state. glickphilanthropies.org/meet-the-fal...
This funding will fuel our Indiana Local Legal Initiative, which provides pro bono legal services for enterprise and investigative reporting in the state. glickphilanthropies.org/meet-the-fal...
December 9, 2025 at 4:41 PM
@rcfp.org is honored to receive a grant from Glick Philanthropies!
This funding will fuel our Indiana Local Legal Initiative, which provides pro bono legal services for enterprise and investigative reporting in the state. glickphilanthropies.org/meet-the-fal...
This funding will fuel our Indiana Local Legal Initiative, which provides pro bono legal services for enterprise and investigative reporting in the state. glickphilanthropies.org/meet-the-fal...
An @rcfp.org amicus brief was cited today during oral argument at the Supreme Court in a case on presidential power that has implications for press freedom.
Listen to direct audio via @nytimes.com:
Listen to direct audio via @nytimes.com:
Highlights of the Supreme Court Argument on Firing Independent Agency Heads
www.nytimes.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:30 PM
An @rcfp.org amicus brief was cited today during oral argument at the Supreme Court in a case on presidential power that has implications for press freedom.
Listen to direct audio via @nytimes.com:
Listen to direct audio via @nytimes.com:
A judge in Pennsylvania has lifted the veil of secrecy surrounding the criminal cases of dozens of suspects charged in an interstate drug ring.
The judge’s order came after an @rcfp.org attorney fought to unseal court records on behalf of three local news outlets.
The judge’s order came after an @rcfp.org attorney fought to unseal court records on behalf of three local news outlets.
Lehigh County judge orders unsealing of criminal dockets tied to interstate drug ring prosecutions
Represented by an RCFP attorney, three Pennsylvania news outlets fought to make the dockets and judicial records public.
www.rcfp.org
December 8, 2025 at 3:45 PM
A judge in Pennsylvania has lifted the veil of secrecy surrounding the criminal cases of dozens of suspects charged in an interstate drug ring.
The judge’s order came after an @rcfp.org attorney fought to unseal court records on behalf of three local news outlets.
The judge’s order came after an @rcfp.org attorney fought to unseal court records on behalf of three local news outlets.
In testimony submitted to the U.S. Senate, @rcfp.org renewed its call for the Department of Homeland Security to adopt policies that would protect the rights and safety of journalists covering immigration enforcement and related protests.
RCFP: DHS must adopt policies to help protect journalists covering immigration enforcement
In Senate testimony, RCFP highlights several incidents in which journalists were arrested or injured while covering DHS operations.
www.rcfp.org
December 7, 2025 at 4:55 PM
In testimony submitted to the U.S. Senate, @rcfp.org renewed its call for the Department of Homeland Security to adopt policies that would protect the rights and safety of journalists covering immigration enforcement and related protests.
In a friend-of-the-court brief, @rcfp.org argues that federal efforts to restrict the dissemination of records released under FOIA are increasing, jeopardizing public-interest reporting.
RCFP: District court’s clawback order in FOIA case imposes unconstitutional prior restraint
Allowing clawbacks of records released during public records litigation would disincentivize pre-litigation compliance with FOIA requests.
www.rcfp.org
December 6, 2025 at 3:51 PM
In a friend-of-the-court brief, @rcfp.org argues that federal efforts to restrict the dissemination of records released under FOIA are increasing, jeopardizing public-interest reporting.
Charlotte police must disclose bodycam footage that sheds light on the criminal history of the man accused of a fatal light-rail train stabbing after an @rcfp.org attorney, co-representing a @charlotteobserver.com reporter, argued in court that the release serves the public interest.
Newly released bodycam footage shows prior arrest of man charged in Charlotte light rail stabbing
An RCFP attorney helped a Charlotte Observer reporter successfully petition for the disclosure of the video.
www.rcfp.org
December 5, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Charlotte police must disclose bodycam footage that sheds light on the criminal history of the man accused of a fatal light-rail train stabbing after an @rcfp.org attorney, co-representing a @charlotteobserver.com reporter, argued in court that the release serves the public interest.