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politics9h ago
Spotlight PA, other newsrooms sue Penn State trustee leaders over ‘gag policy’ that silences members
- News outlets filed a federal lawsuit challenging Penn State Board of Trustees' gag policy that limits speaking to the press.
- The filing describes the bylaw as vague and says it applies to statements made in or out of official capacity.
- The lawsuit names board leaders as defendants for enforcing the bylaws that restrict press interactions.
- Emerita Trustee Alice Pope faced a reprimand after speaking publicly about campus closures in 2025.
- The plaintiffs cite prior litigation on transparency, including a public records dispute and sunshine-law cases involving Penn State.
- Spotlight PA is joined in the suit by Centre Daily Times and StateCollege.com, represented by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic.
- The bylaw amendments were adopted in 2024 and 2025, requiring preapproval for statements and tying speech to board guidance.
- The lawsuit argues the policy creates a chilling effect on trustees' ability to freely express views.
- The board maintains that the university will not comment on pending litigation.
- The suit seeks a federal judge to declare the restrictions unconstitutional.
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