Speaking Freely

The rights guaranteed in the First Amendment—including freedom of expression—are among the fundamental touchstones of our democracy. In Speaking Freely, Floyd Abrams, who for over thirty years has been our most eloquent and respected advocate for uncensored expression, recounts some of the major cases of his remarkable career—landmark trials and Supreme Court arguments that have involved key First Amendment protections.With adversaries as diverse as Richard Nixon and Wayne Newton and allies as unlikely as Kenneth Starr, Abrams takes readers behind the scenes to explain his strategies, the ramifications of each decision, and its long-term significance, presenting a clear and compelling look at the law in action.Introduction   xi

1. The Pentagon Papers Case   1

2. To the Supreme Court and After   32

3. Truth and the First Amendment   62

4. Wayne Newton and the Law   94

5. The Heroin Trail   124

6. McCarthyism and Libel   153  

7. The Brooklyn Museum Case   188

8. Campaign Finance Reform and the First Amendment   231

9. At Home and Abroad   276

Acknowledgements   289
Notes   291
Index   299

"Charming, engaging, and often compelling." —The Washington Post

"The best litigators are great storytellers, and the stories this litigator tells here are intrinsically interesting." —The New York Observer

Floyd Abrams is a partner at Cahill, Gordon & Reindel in New York City. Described by Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan as the “most significant First Amendment lawyer of our age,” Abrams is currently the William J. Brennan Visiting Professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.