Orlando Vice

Published Oct 22 2007, 08:25 PM by Wendy Kaminer

by Wendy Kaminer

        Freedom to publish ads for escort services may seem like a peripheral perquisite of a free press, as well as a source of entertainment for readers, but prosecuting newspapers for selling the ads is serious First Amendment business – especially if the prosecution constitutes retaliation for the paper’s editorial policies. This is not a subtle or obscure point, but it’s about to be tested in Orlando, Florida, where the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI) has just arrested 3 employees of a local weekly for selling classified ads while indicting the newspaper, the Orlando Weekly, for racketeering and multiple counts of aiding prostitution. Characterizing the paper as “an advertising company making money off of prostitution,” MBI Director, Bill Lutz, said, “I don’t see a First Amendment issue here." Naturally, the publisher disagreed, pointing out that the arrests followed the paper’s critical reports on the MBI’s activities.

        With luck, a little respect for a free press, or disapproval of government thuggishness, the prosecution of the Orlando Weekly will fold as quickly as the prosecution of Phoenix New Times editors, who published a grand jury subpoena seeking information about everyone who visited the paper’s web site. (The Phoenix New Times prosecution also appeared to be retaliatory.) The idiocies and abuses of anti-prostitution crusades are bad enough without prosecuting newspapers for exposing them.

Filed Under: First Amendment, prosecutorial abuse

Saving Academic Freedom From Its Supporters

Who Can Say What

Follow the Boston Phoenix

All Blogs

On The Download (2,176)
Dont Quote Me (527)
Laser Orgy (36)
Phlog (1,432)
Talking Politics (1,529)
Outside The Frame (307)

Filed Under: First Amendment, prosecutorial abuse

Boston Phoenix
Critical Mass
Published 11/20/2009 by KYLE SMEALLIE AND HARVEY SILVERGLATE
Over the years, UMass Amherst has proven to be a reliable hotbed for political hypocrisy and squelching of free speech

Boston Phoenix
Muzzle Awards: Collegiate Division
Published 7/10/2009 by HARVEY SILVERGLATE
New England campuses muzzle free speech

more by Wendy Kaminer

Second Lady | August 30, 2008

Hillary's Harpies | August 27, 2008

No We Can't | July 10, 2008

Anti-Noose Laws | May 19, 2008

It's a Crime to Lie to MYSpace? | May 16, 2008

See all articles by: Wendy Kaminer

Latest Comments

GodHatesFags.com Invades Greater Boston - So sad and scary. Ppl must get a life that doesn't thrive on ppls differences. Why live in the USA? You...

By Patty on 12-05-2009 in Phlog

Kenmore cat can't be caught - I wonder if it escaped from the Kenmore cat hospital..

By Ari on 12-05-2009 in Phlog

Boston Public Health Commission's Top 10 Bad Romance Songs of 2009: Is pop music unhealthy? - Wow. Thank you for taking the time to express your very biased opinion. However, I think you need to...

By Jim T on 12-05-2009 in On The Download

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: exclusive Cave In DVD preview - mike you fail'd hard. Please end your life quickly.

By shane on 12-05-2009 in On The Download

RIP, Mike Penner / Christine Daniels - offal, you help make my point. Thanks. Women suffering from depression are now recognized for having...

By O-FISH-L on 12-05-2009 in Dont Quote Me

Latest Comments from Free For All

Orlando Vice

Leave a Comment