February 20, 2008

NYCLU, Levitt Sue NYPD Over Press Passes

The New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in state court today challenging the NYPD's refusal to disclose information about its press pass policy for reporters covering the cops.

At issue is the NYPD's revocation in May 2007 of former Newsday/Post/AP reporter-turned-blogger Len Levitt's press pass. Levitt, who blogs his highly informative and critical takes on the department at NYPDConfidential.com, and the NYCLU subsequently sought information via a FOIL request about why his pass had been denied and were stonewalled.

“I think we’re going to find that this was strictly retaliatory,” said Levitt, who appears in the video below. “The police department has issued press passes to all kinds of people who they shouldn’t have according to their policy, but not to those who are in need and deserving of a pass.”

Before his press pass renewal was denied in January 2007, Levitt had a NYPD-issued press pass for 24 years. In 2005 and 2006, the NYPD made attempts to ban him from 1 Police Plaza and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly made complaints about him to Newsday.

The issue of press passes for bloggers is not new. City Hall fixture/gadfly/blogger Rafael Martinez-Alequin and his attorney, Norman Siegel, (former NYCLU executive director and public advocate candidate), have been fighting the NYPD for some time on this issue.