The Federalist Society at Vermont Law School and the VLS SPEAK Chapter will present "The First Amendment and the New Administration," a forum for debate, from 12:45 to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, in Chase Community Center at VLS. The event is free and open to the public and press.
"The Federalist Society is pleased to partner with SPEAK to bring this event to the greater Vermont Law School community," said Admira Nkouka JD'19. "We hope the public will join us for a roundtable discussion on the First Amendment and the new presidential administration. Our goal is to provide people with a forum where they can feel free to state their opinions, ask questions, and discuss the issues with respectful debate."
Event organizers plan to start the conversation with questions related to recent statements by President Trump. For example, in an interview with CBS Miami before the election, Trump said the United States should reduce protections for the press and make it easier to sue media outlets. Participants will be asked, "Should the U.S. relax libel laws and make it easier to sue the media?" in addition to other questions driven by current events.
Lunch will be provided during "The First Amendment and the New Administration." For more information about the event, email AdmiraNkouka@vermontlaw.edu.
The Federalist Society at Vermont Law School exists to educate students about Federalist principles—individual liberty, traditional values, and the rule of law—facilitate conscientious discussion about applying those principles in their personal and professional lives, and encourage students to become valuable contributors to the VLS community. The VLS Federalist Society adheres to the purposes and principles set forth by The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, and seeks to "promote the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be." For more information about the Federalist Society at VLS, email FederalistSociety@vermontlaw.edu.
The VLS SPEAK Chapter creates educational programs and trainings that support members of the VLS community and increase participants' confidence in oratory, critical thinking, and diplomatic dissent. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu/community/student-groups/speak.
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