SCOTUS Punts on Social Media Censorship: What’s Next?

Jill Wine-Banks to Share Her Views at LWVIL Presentation on August 20

Media Contacts:
Becky Simon, LWVIL President, communications@lwvil.org
Anne Sullivan and Barb Laimins, LWVIL Mis/Disinformation Task Force Co-Chairs, misdisinfotaskforce@lwvil.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHICAGO, IL, July 23, 2024 – Jill Wine-Banks, the distinguished attorney and MSNBC Legal Analyst who is a prominent figure in political and legal discourse, will speak about the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent action on social media censorship on Tuesday, August 20, at 7 pm., virtually via Zoom. This free program is presented by the League of Women Voters of Illinois’ Mis/Disinformation Task Force. Register to attend at bit.ly/lwvil820.

Does the First Amendment allow U.S. government officials to intervene and prevent the spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media? The U.S. Supreme Court recently had an opportunity to rule on this question. Instead, they declined to issue decisions in two cases, punting them back to officials in Texas and Florida.

A celebrated author, Wine-Banks’ memoir The Watergate Girl has been optioned for film adaptation. Wine-Banks began her law career as the first woman to serve as an organized crime prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Four years later, she was hand-picked to be one of the three Assistant Watergate Special Prosecutors in the obstruction of justice trial against President Nixon's top aides. Nixon was named an unindicted co-conspirator in that case, but the evidence presented led to Nixon’s resignation. 

Among her many accomplishments, Wine-Banks was named General Counsel of the U.S. Army by President Carter, where she supervised what was, in essence, the world's largest law firm. She is particularly proud of her work with Congress to level the playing field for women in the army. In 2014, she was named by the Secretary of Defense to the Judicial Proceedings Panel’s Subcommittee on Sexual Assault in the military, where she served until 2017. She was the first woman to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the American Bar Association.

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Founded in 1919, the League of Women Voters of Illinois is a nonpartisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy and does not support or oppose any political parties or candidates. With over 100 years of experience and more than 800 local and state affiliations, the League is one of America’s most trusted grassroots organizations. Membership in the League is open to people ages 16 and over. For further information, visit lwvil.org.

To address the troubling rise of misinformation and disinformation—and its impact on our elections—the League of Women Voters of Illinois formed the Mis/Disinformation Task Force in January 2024 with the goal of educating the general public on misinformation and disinformation. For more information, visit lwvil.org/misdis-info.