David Daleiden Asks Supreme Court to Defend Journalism That Saves Lives
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Dhillon Law Group filed an amicus curiae brief at the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of The Center for Medical Progress (CMP) and its founder, David Daleiden, urging the Court to review Oregon’s two-party consent recording law, ORS § 165.540. The law criminalizes recording conversations in public places—an unconstitutional threat to investigative journalism and press freedom.
Daleiden, whose undercover work exposed Planned Parenthood’s involvement in fetal tissue trafficking and sparked federal and state investigations, issued the following statement:
“Freedom of speech means powerful government officials should never be able to deploy their police powers against a citizen to suppress politically inconvenient messages. I’m happy to be part of fighting for First Amendment protections for undercover journalism for everyone, born and unborn. I urge the Supreme Court to take up this important case to protect free and independent journalism from government censorship.” — David Daleiden, Founder and President, The Center for Medical Progress
The brief outlines how Daleiden’s prosecution under a similar California law—Penal Code § 632—illustrates the chilling effect of such statutes. Despite recording in public settings like restaurants and trade shows, Daleiden was the only journalist prosecuted under that law, while others conducting similar investigations, including NBC and PETA, faced no charges.
“In recent years, we’ve seen an alarming trend of government officials abusing their authority to target political opponents with criminal charges. The Project Veritas case before the Supreme Court is about protecting the right of citizen journalists to record newsworthy statements in public. The First Amendment exists to shield Americans from government overreach—and this case is a vital opportunity for the Court to remind partisan prosecutors that the Constitution draws a clear line against politically motivated prosecutions.” — Mark Meuser, Counsel of Record.
CMP’s “Human Capital Project” investigation revealed unethical and potentially illegal practices in the fetal tissue industry, leading to a $7.8 million legal settlement and congressional referrals. The brief argues that such work fulfills the First Amendment’s purpose—to expose misconduct and inform the public
The amici ask the Court to grant certiorari and affirm that undercover recordings in public settings, on matters of public concern, are constitutionally protected. The outcome could decisively shape press freedom nationwide.
