Fins-SR8-01
Supreme Court Denies Petition by FINS for Writ of Certiorari (Feb 2000)


FINS SPECIAL REPORT                                 February 23, 2000

SUPREME COURT DENIES PETITION BY FINS FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI  
Congressional Press Galleries Free to Disregard First Amendment


Washington, DC--The Supreme Court of the United States Tuesday, Feb 22,
denied a petition for writ of certiorari filed last January by Vigdor 
Schreibman.  The petition sought to overturn a decision denying press 
credentials for FINS issued Jan 1996 by the Executive Committee of 
Correspondents, of the Congressional press galleries. At issue is the 
historical pattern of discriminatory conduct and abuse,  Schreibman 
argued, under which a "media aristocracy," granted immunity from suit 
for violation of a reporter's First Amendment rights is operating to 
exclude from news sources at the US Capital, representatives of 
publications such as FINS and other civic non-profit publishers whose 
ownership or ideas the aristocracy consider objectionable.  The
existing arrangement, one prominent journalism educator told FINS, is 
a good way to keep the "dregs" out of Congressional press reporting.

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