Mississippi Judge Orders Newspaper to Remove Editorial Criticizing City Officials

The court's temporary restraining order has drawn sharp criticism from First Amendment advocates, who argue it violates press freedom.

Judge Crystal Wise Martin issued a temporary restraining order requiring the Clarksdale Press Register to delete a Feb. 8 editorial titled 'Secrecy, Deception Erode Public Trust.'
The editorial criticized Clarksdale city officials for failing to notify the media about a meeting where a proposed 2% tax on alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco was approved.
City officials sued the newspaper for libel, claiming the editorial contained false and defamatory statements that hindered their lobbying efforts for the tax proposal.
Legal and press freedom advocates condemned the order as unconstitutional, citing the First Amendment's prohibition on prior restraint and governments suing for libel.
A hearing on the case is scheduled for February 27, with the newspaper's parent company planning to challenge the restraining order in court.