Shaun Kenney | Politics and Religion in Virginia's Public Square


Thursday, March 09, 2006 Political bloggers may get federal protection Hallelujah!: Bloggers would be largely immunized from hundreds of pages of confusing federal regulations dealing with election laws, according to a bill approved by a House of Representatives panel on Thursday. Democrats had blocked an earlier effort last November to enact the legislation, which would amend federal campaign finance laws to give Internet publishers many of the same freedoms that newspapers and magazines currently enjoy. 'We don't expect bloggers to check with a federal agency before they go online,' said House Administration Committee Chairman Vernon Ehlers, a Michigan Republican, referring to the Federal Election Commission. 'They shouldn't have to read FEC advisory opinions (or have) to worry about running afoul of federal election laws.' I agree wholeheartedly, provided the blogs can keep their hands clean. If a journalist takes money for a slanted article, or an editor takes kickbacks for an op-ed, a suit can be brought against the corporation (typically). Bloggers are usually one man shows, and a libel lawsuit against a blogger could end a life -- even if it's just defending soemthing in court. Of course, I yield to better minds on the legal technicalities here, but with my eyes I can't see anything but good coming from this. posted by Shaun Kenney \| 3/09/2006 11:34:00 PM \| 0 comments 0 Comments: Post a Comment Home
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