The Federal Trade Commission will continue to be prohibited from enforcing a civil investigative demand on the progressive watchdog group Media Matters for America , after a federal judge rejected the government’s effort to put her prior ruling on hold.

Last week, U.S. District Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan ruled that the FTC was likely engaged in retaliatory conduct in violation of the First Amendment as it sought to launch an investigation of Media Matters.

The FTC sought a stay of the ruling pending appeal. But in a decision on Friday, Sooknanan wrote that the FTC had “not established that issuance of a stay would not substantially injure Media Matters or otherwise harm the public interest.”

“Staying the Court’s injunction for the very purpose of permitting the Government to conti

See Full Page