#Marion Kansas

[tuckeralexander2001]

“If pole vaulting was easy, everybody should do it. Guess what? They don’t. You do.” - Unknown

[meteorologistaustenlonek]

"The department has taken a different approach to defending its raid, insisting, “No one is above the law, whether a public official or a representative of the media.”

That’s true — including for government officials who trample the First Amendment.

Even if Marion police had reason to believe the newspaper skirted the law’s edge, it wouldn’t justify invading a newsroom."

[willow-thicket]

"The police chief was aware the paper was looking into his background. Meyer said a Record reporter approached Cody seeking comment on the allegations. In response, Meyer said Cody threatened to sue the paper."

Must be nice to be newly elected Chief in Marion, a former Kansas City Police Officer, and feel like you have the right to hide your history from the community you serve. Must feel pretty above the law to threaten to sue a newspaper for looking into your background & then stomp all over the First Amendment in a raid. Must have felt pretty smug and self-righteous to take all the evidence of their communication with the police, when you took all the equipment during the "raid".

How does it feel now that you've called down the national and international press, not to mention the ACLU, upon your head? Those background checks aren't likely to go unnoticed now!

[unteriors]

Narrow, Marion, Kansas.

[thatstormygeek]

The courts have been flying under the radar for a while. With SCOTUS doing corruption writ large, hopefully sunlight will reach the smaller corners of the judiciary as well.

[uboat53]

Well, this is nice to see. About a year ago, a police chief in Kansas raided a local newspaper with no justification. Of course, it turned out that they were writing about corruption in the town.

Fast foward to now and it looks like charges will be filed. It's sad that it takes so long, but it's a good sign that abuse of power is being prosecuted.

[memenewsdotcom]

Kansas police under fire after newspaper raid

[punk-rock-quagsire]

The story out of Kansas is terrifying and more people need to realize it.

The police tried to silence the press using violence.

This is worse than everyday fascist rhetoric. This is worse than just racists marching in the streets. This is as scary a news story as I have ever read.

An armed government agency decided it didn't like the way journalists were using the first amendment and used violence to make them obey.

A government agency attacked the Fourth Estate. Do you know why journalists and the press are called the Fourth Estate? It's an old term, nineteenth century old. The three estates of the realm were the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners. The estates were later understood to be the three branches of government, legislative, executive, and judicial. The fourth estate wasn't always the press, however, in modern times it is understood that a government and society writ large can not survive without a healthy and free press.

Let me say that again:

A society can not survive without a free press.

The enforcement branch of the government decided they didn't like what the press were reporting. We will likely find out more as the story progresses, but we already know they lied to the judge. They did not subpoena whatever they were looking for. They broke in, they stole, and an old woman is dead because of the stress they caused her.

Even if they walked in calmly, if they never drew a weapon, if they didn't raise their voices, if the journalists thanked them as they left, the very presence of the armed enforcement wing of the executive is inherently a threat. What they did is a threat to journalism, and by extension the constitution, and by extension the entire fucking country.

If we don't throw the book at these criminal police then fascists all across the country will start attacking local news agencies.

If you thought the talk of "fake news" was scary and dangerous, pay attention, because this is their next step.

They are going to tear down the concept of a free press if we don't stop them.

Fascists always attack the press and the creative industries first. Nobody is safe if this is allowed. The fascists will take over and nobody will be around to report it. No matter your opinion about any individual newspaper or press agency, if police can march in and seize computers and reporting materials, if they can ignore the constitution, then nothing is sacred and nobody is safe from the pigs.

ACAB exists for a fucking reason. ACAB means every cop supports the machine. ACAB because a cop would sooner shoot you than listen to you. ACAB because every cop thinks they're better than you.

[internettoday]

New episode of Internet Today Daily, this time coming

A seeming flacid end to the Zuck v Musk Saga

Ron Desantis backs down in Disney fight

Local newspaper gets its shit rocked by an overzealous police department, with a conspiracy

Trump gets indicted *again*

[nando161mando]

Witness: Police chief who led raid on Marion newspaper wanted texts deleted

[francescnolla]

En un pequeño pueblo de Kansas, se ha cuestionado la libertad de prensa.

[tuckeralexander2001]

“The final stage of wisdom is becoming a kid again.” - Maxime Lagace

[meteorologistaustenlonek]

(47 exclamation points? Really?)

“COUNCIL WILL NOT COMMENT ON THE ONGOING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AT THIS MEETING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” the agenda says, according to the Kansas City Star."

[spokanefavs]

A troubling incident in Marion County, Kansas, has raised concerns about the freedom of the press.

This incident highlights the need to protect the First Amendment rights of journalists and preserve the crucial role of the media.

Rebecca Tallent

[thatstormygeek]

Think about this for a moment. Out of the five officials in Kansas who might be expected to raise the alarm about constitutional violations of Kansas residents, only one could be bothered to muster any sort of a statement in the one-year anniversary of the Marion raid. Democrat or Republican, it didn’t matter. They all apparently want the date to pass in silence, and for no one to remember the shocking abuse of power that was perpetrated in Kansas against our fellow Kansas.