Maine town faces lawsuit for censoring cable-access show
By The Associated Press
09.07.01
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BIDDEFORD, Maine — The city faces a potential lawsuit following a vote by councilors to uphold Mayor Donna Dion's decision to censor a public-access TV program she believes is defamatory.
Citing First Amendment concerns, Maine Civil Liberties Union attorney David Lourie said he was preparing to sue on behalf of Dorothy Lafortune, the producer of the Maine Forum program broadcast last July.
The City Council voted 6-3 Sept. 4 to support Dion's decision to pull the show from the rebroadcast schedule.
Footage of the show includes Councilor Philip Castora claiming city government involvement in an alleged conspiracy to take property from Lafortune's mother, Marion. An auctioneer and bank officials also were named by Castora.
Originally, the mayor requested that the show be taped and previewed by her, Lourie said, although he said she backed down when Lafortune continued to broadcast live.
But the mayor still maintains she can pull other questionable tapes from rebroadcast, Lourie added.
The council's decision Sept. 4 overturned an August vote by the Cable TV Committee that reversed the mayor's decision to censor the tape and called her actions unauthorized.
Lafortune, through the MCLU, had filed a formal complaint with the committee.
The so-called Castora Tape raised concerns about slander, libel and invasion of privacy, the mayor said in a statement to the council Sept. 4.
Castora's accusations against private citizens were especially troubling, she said, and it was these concerns that led her to pull the tape.
Dion said the cable-access agreement gives the city the right to control use of the public-access channel.
Lourie said the MCLU believes the mayor's actions infringe on the First Amendment rights of Lafortune and Castora.
Update
Federal magistrate: City illegally censored woman's public-access show
But opinion rejects Dorothy Lafortune's claim that city council acted as illegal court, violated her due-process rights.
05.03.02
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