The Associated Press reports A federal judge lifted a gag order Friday that shielded the identity of librarians who received an FBI demand for records about library patrons under the Patriot Act.
U.S. District Court Judge Janet Hall ruled in favor of the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued that the gag order prevented their client from participating in a debate over whether Congress should reauthorize the Patriot Act.
The court’s full decision
A full copy of the decision can be found on the web at:
http://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/Opinions/090905JCH.Doe OP.pdf
Quote: “Considering the current national interest in and the important issues surrounding the debate on the renewal of the PATRIOT Act provisions, it is apparent to this court that the loss of Doe’s ability to speak out now on the subject as an NSL recipient is a real and present loss of its First Amendment right to free speech that cannot be remedied.”