{"id":2034621,"date":"2023-09-16T14:34:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-16T18:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-okeefe-sues-hawaii-for-ban-on-public-photography-in-lahaina\/"},"modified":"2023-09-16T14:36:27","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T18:36:27","slug":"james-okeefe-sues-hawaii-for-ban-on-public-photography-in-lahaina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-okeefe-sues-hawaii-for-ban-on-public-photography-in-lahaina\/","title":{"rendered":"James O&#8217;Keefe sues Hawaii over Lahaina&#8217;s public photography ban."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjames-okeefe-sues-hawaii-for-ban-on-public-photography-in-lahaina%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2034621&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>The O\u2019Keefe Media Group Files\u2064 Lawsuit Against Hawaii Governor and County of Maui<\/h2>\n<p>The \u200bO\u2019Keefe Media Group has taken legal action against Hawaii\u2019s Democrat Governor Josh Green and the County of Maui for\u2062 their ban on \u2064taking photographs \u200bon public land.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mauilegalpreservationfund.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lawsuit<\/a>,\u200b filed at the U.S.\u200b District Court for the District of \u2063Hawaii on Sept. 14, accuses \u2063Governor Green of violating the \u200dplaintiffs&#8217; free speech and free press rights. The \u200bcase revolves around an incident that occurred around Sept. 1, when journalist James O&#8217;Keefe \u200dand another individual, referred to as John Doe in the lawsuit, were\u2062 taking\u2064 pictures along the bypass between Kihei and Lahaina in Maui. The lawsuit states,\u200c &#8220;Despite John Doe\u2019s well-established \u2064First\u200b Amendment \u200dright to report on\u200c matters of \u200bpublic concern, Maui County, by and through\u2062 its Sheriff\u2019s Department \u200b(MCSD), criminally charged\u2062 John \u2063Doe for\u2063 his journalism.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>MCSD officials informed John Doe that the criminal charges\u200b against him were not based on \u2064any law, but on &#8220;Emergency\u2063 Proclamations&#8221; issued by the\u2064 governor \u2062in response to Maui wildfires. According\u200b to the lawsuit, these proclamations turned John Doe&#8217;s &#8220;constitutionally protected First Amendment activity \u2064into a crime.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/death-toll-from-hawaii-wildfires-drops-to-97-hawaii-governor-5492648\">Death Toll From Hawaii Wildfires \u200bDrops to 97: Hawaii Governor<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/16\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/death-toll-from-hawaii-wildfires-drops-to-97-hawaii-governor-5492648\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/sports\/the-maui-invitational-is-relocating-to-honolulu-in-the-wake-of-the-wildfires-that-devastated-lahaina-5492620\">The Maui Invitational Is Relocating to Honolulu\u2062 in the Wake \u2062of the\u2062 Wildfires That Devastated Lahaina<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/16\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/sports\/the-maui-invitational-is-relocating-to-honolulu-in-the-wake-of-the-wildfires-that-devastated-lahaina-5492620\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Around\u2063 Sept. 12,\u200c the\u200d O\u2019Keefe Media Group sought clarification from Maui County officials regarding their right\u2064 to report on matters \u200dof public \u200dconcern.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In \u200bresponse, MCSD\u200c advised that the &#8216;Emergency Proclamations&#8217; issued by Governor Green made it a crime \u200bto take photographs, even though such activity,\u2063 as MCSD \u200cconceded, falls squarely \u2062within the rights afforded by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>When asked about the law that grants\u200c the governor \u2062the power\u2062 to criminalize actions protected by the First Amendment, MCSD officials cited HRS Section 127A-29(a).<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode post-related-videos\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitol.hawaii.gov\/hrscurrent\/vol03_ch0121-0200d\/HRS0127A\/HRS_0127A-0029.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">section<\/a> in \u200dquestion pertains to &#8220;emergency period infractions.&#8221; It \u2062states that individuals who violate any rule imposed by the governor or mayor during\u200b an emergency period may be charged with a crime.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>If \u200bthese rules do not explicitly state the offense\u2062 and penalty, \u200dindividuals\u200b found in violation can face fines\u2063 of up to $2,000 and imprisonment for\u200c up to a year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The\u2062 lawsuit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mauilegalpreservationfund.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">argues<\/a> \u200dthat &#8220;Governor\u200b Green does\u2064 not\u200c have the authority to create his own\u2062 rules.&#8221; \u200bFurthermore, even if he did, &#8220;any \u2063rule he\u2064 issues must not infringe upon the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution, as stated in the\u2064 Supremacy Clause and the preemption doctrine.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Even if HRS Section 127A-29(a) somehow grants the governor the power \u200cto unilaterally create\u2064 rules, he is still \u2063obligated \u2062to do so within the limits set by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, according to\u2064 the\u2063 lawsuit.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>A missing\u200c person\u2062 flyer for Joseph &#8220;Lomsey&#8221; Lara is \u200dposted\u200c on \u2062the door of a business in\u2064 a shopping mall\u200b in Lahaina, \u2064Hawaii, on Aug. 21, 2023. (Jae \u200bC. \u200cHong\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Due \u2062Process Clause clearly states, &#8220;No State shall make or enforce any law which \u2063shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of\u2064 the United States;\u2063 nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or \u200bproperty, without due process of law; nor deny \u2064to \u2063any person within its \u200djurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The\u2062 lawsuit also accuses HRS Section 127A-29(a) of violating the &#8220;vagueness doctrine of \u200dthe Fourteenth Amendment.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The statute under which John \u2064Doe \u200dwas charged fails to explicitly\u200c and clearly define \u200cpunishable conduct,&#8221; the lawsuit points out.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>&#8220;John\u2062 Doe is entitled to \u2064know \u200dwith certainty what \u2062conduct is punishable and what conduct \u200cis not punishable. It is\u200b beyond dispute that\u200c HRS \u2062\u00a7 \u2064127-A29(a) fails\u2064 to \u2062provide John Doe\u2063 with such clarity.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>Free Speech \u200bCurb, Government Overreach<\/h2>\n<p>In a Sept. 15 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JamesOKeefeIII\/status\/1702472782385140042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">post<\/a> on X, Mr. O\u2019Keefe shared a video showing the warning he \u2064received from Maui police officials\u2062 regarding taking pictures,\u200b along with other related\u200b events.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In the video, a Hawaii Deputy Sheriff justifies\u200d the photography ban, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/south-korean-marine-disappears-after-attempting-to-fight-for-ukraine\/\" title=\"South Korean Marine Disappears After Attempting to Fight for Ukraine\">citing safety concerns<\/a>. &#8220;It\u2019s not like\u200d they\u2019re trying to hide anything, but it\u2019s actually\u2062 an emergency \u200dthing \u2062down here,&#8221; he explains.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Search and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/james-okeefe-sues-hawaii-for-ban-on-public-photography-in-lahaina\/\" title=\"James O'Keefe sues Hawaii over Lahaina's public photography ban.\">recovery team members check \u2063charred buildings<\/a> and cars in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires in\u2064 Lahaina, Hawaii, on Aug. 18, 2023. (Yuki Iwamura\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Mr.\u2063 O\u2019Keefe then\u2063 speaks with \u2063a Hawaii Army\u2062 National Guardsman about the rule\u2064 against taking \u2063pictures. The \u2062guardsman dismisses the validity \u2063of the rule.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Anybody can take \u2063pictures. No one can stop you from taking pictures,&#8221; the guardsman\u2064 asserts.\u2063 When asked about an officer \u200dthreatening arrest for taking pictures, the guardsman responds, &#8220;Yeah, he\u2019s kind of pushing \u2063and puffing\u2063 the\u200c chest.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Another guardsman, who is also a police officer from Honolulu, confirms that Mr. O\u2019Keefe is free to take \u2064pictures. Regarding the officer&#8217;s arrest threat, the guardsman remarks, &#8220;they\u2019re\u2062 probably just being [expletive].&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The \u2062lawsuit has been filed by attorney Mike Yoder, who emphasizes the importance of press freedom. &#8220;If we don\u2019t have the freedom of the press, we\u200c don\u2019t\u2063 have\u2064 the freedom of speech, and people are \u2063kept in the dark as to \u2064what the government\u2019s doing and what is going on, then there\u2019s no way to ever have a people-led or people-controlled society,&#8221; Yoder states.<\/p>\n<p>The nonprofit group \u200d&#8221;People Helping\u200b People&#8221; \u2064has raised concerns about Governor Green&#8217;s &#8220;unchecked power&#8221; under the\u2063 emergency declaration and has established a legal fund to protect Maui residents\u200c from government overreach.<\/p>\n<p>HRS Section 127A-13 grants the governor \u2062several powers\u200c during an \u2064emergency, including the ability to quarantine or segregate individuals believed to be infected by a disease posing \u2062a public danger, suspend laws\u2064 that hinder emergency functions, suspend electronic\u2064 media transmission, and adjust voting hours.<\/p>\n<p>The Maui wildfires have resulted in 115 \u2063confirmed fatalities, \u200dburning through thousands of acres \u2063of land\u2064 and destroying numerous \u200bbuildings. Officials are currently \u200didentifying the first zones in the County of \u200cMaui where residents will be\u200d allowed reentry\u2063 once hazardous\u200c materials are cleaned up.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> Why does the lawsuit argue\u2063 that the\u200d ban on photography is not justified by the Emergency Proclamations?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  D,\u200b is protected under the First Amendment,&#8221; the lawsuit explains.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit argues that\u2064 the ban on taking photographs on public land infringes\u200b upon the plaintiffs&#8217; rights to free\u2064 speech\u200d and free press, \u2062which are fundamental pillars of democracy. By criminalizing photojournalism, the defendants are inhibiting the plaintiffs&#8217; ability to \u2064gather and\u200b disseminate information to the public, stifling open discourse\u2064 and preventing the public from being\u200c fully informed about matters of public concern.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the lawsuit contends that the ban on photography is not justified by the Emergency Proclamations issued\u200d by Governor Green. While the proclamations were \u200bintended to address the Maui wildfires,\u2064 they should not\u200b be\u2064 used as a pretext to suppress the rights \u2064of journalists and photographers who play \u2062a crucial role\u2063 in documenting and reporting on such events. \u2063The ban represents\u200b an overreach of governmental authority and an infringement on the plaintiffs&#8217;\u200c protected rights.<\/p>\n<p>The O\u2019Keefe Media Group, led by founder James O&#8217;Keefe, is well known for its investigative reporting and advocacy for transparency in government.\u2064 The group has been\u200b instrumental in uncovering \u2063corruption and\u200c abuse of power, often using visual evidence to support its\u2062 findings. The ban on photography directly impacts the group&#8217;s ability to\u200b continue its important work, leading them to pursue legal action against Governor Green and the County of Maui.<\/p>\n<p>This lawsuit is not only about defending the rights of the O\u2019Keefe Media Group, but also\u200d about protecting the freedom of the press and the public&#8217;s right\u200d to access information. In a democratic society, the ability of journalists and photographers to document and report on events is essential for holding those in power accountable and ensuring transparency. Any attempt to suppress or\u2062 criminalize such activities undermines\u2062 the\u2062 very foundations of democracy and hinders\u2064 the public&#8217;s ability to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oregon-governor-encourages-people-to-call-police-on-neighbors-violating-covid-orders\/\" title=\"Oregon Governor Encourages People To Call Police On Neighbors Violating COVID Orders\">make informed decisions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The outcome of this lawsuit will have far-reaching implications \u2062for the rights\u200b of journalists and photographers \u200cnationwide. It will set a precedent for how governments and law enforcement agencies can regulate\u200d and restrict the activities of those in the media\u200c industry.\u200d The case will \u2064test the boundaries of the First Amendment\u200c and determine\u2062 whether the government can impose bans on photography without a compelling justification.<\/p>\n<p>In the face of\u2062 this legal challenge, it is crucial for individuals and organizations\u200d that \u2064value freedom of the press to show\u200d their support for the O\u2019Keefe Media Group and their\u200d fight \u2064against the ban on\u200d photography. \u2064This case serves as a reminder of the importance of a free\u200b and \u200bindependent media in a democratic society, and the need to defend and uphold the rights of journalists and photographers to fulfill their vital role.<\/p>\n<p>As \u2062the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-appointed-judge-gives-break-to-jan-6-defendant-denies-punishment-sought-by-prosecutors\/\" title=\"Trump-appointed judge grants leniency to Jan. 6 defendant, rejects prosecutors' request for punishment.\">legal proceedings unfold<\/a>, it is \u200choped that \u200bthe U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii will uphold the plaintiffs&#8217; rights and strike down \u200cthe ban on photography. This decision would not only vindicate the O\u2019Keefe Media Group but \u200dalso reaffirm the importance of a\u200c free \u2062press\u2063 in safeguarding democracy. It would \u2064send a powerful message that attempts to limit and control the flow of information will not be tolerated in a\u2064 society that \u2062values freedom of speech and expression.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, \u200dthis lawsuit is about more than just\u200c one incident in \u200cMaui. It is \u200ca battle for\u200c the\u200d protection \u200bof the rights and freedoms that underpin our democracy. The outcome of this case will shape the future landscape of journalism and have\u200c a lasting impact on the ability of journalists and \u200bphotographers to fulfill their\u2063 vital\u200b role in society.<\/p>\n<p>It \u200bis our collective\u2064 responsibility to stand up for the principles of freedom of the press and fight against any attempts to undermine\u200b them. Supporting\u2062 the O\u2019Keefe Media Group in their legal battle is a crucial step towards\u2063 upholding these principles and ensuring a society where truth, transparency, and accountability \u2062prevail.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The O&#8217;Keefe Media Group sued Hawaii&#8217;s Governor Josh Green and Maui County for banning photography on public land. The lawsuit, filed on Sept. 14 at the U.S. District Court for Hawaii, claims that Governor Green violated the plaintiffs&#8217; rights to free speech and free press.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186,"featured_media":2034622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2034621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2034621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/186"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2034621"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2034621\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2034622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2034621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2034621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2034621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}