The Right to Scrutinize Government: Toward a First Amendment Theory of Accountability

The speaker eschews the view that the press enjoys a "preferred position" under the first amendment and aligns his beliefs with the view of Alexander Meiklejohn-an informed public is necessary for the success of a self-governing democracy. Mr. Lewis analyzes case law and concludes that the Court should cautiously "develop the principle of public accountability as a fundamental premise of the first amendment," guaranteeing a limited right of acquiring information to scrutinize government.