American News is a news and information company registered with the Connecticut Secretary of the State on June 12, 1989, operating throughout the United States, which gathers and provides raw, breaking news video, photographs, and news tips to various mainstream media outlets. American News maintains business relationships with freelance videographers, photographers, and journalists throughout the
United States and routinely produces, markets, and sells journalists’ work product for distribution to the public through both well-recognized and less mainstream media outlets. American News’ business model depends upon establishing, fostering, and maintaining relationships with journalists able to consistently record video footage and images of breaking, newsworthy events. Peruta is the sole stockholder and President of American News. Born, raised, and educated in Wethersfield, CT, Ed Peruta served as a United States Marine combat infantryman in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. He attended the police academy following his military discharge and was a Wethersfield Police Department officer for a brief period of time. Ed had a number of jobs during the 1970's and 80's before he was rated by the VA in 1986 as 100% combat, service-connected, disabled for PTSD. He flew to Hawaii in 1987 and stayed there for 18 months before returning to Connecticut. Ed's experience in Vietnam led him to a lifetime of questioning authority and government in particular. His passion for holding government accountable through transparency led him to become involved in local, state, and federal. He formed American News and Information Services, Inc. in 1989 and was decades ahead of his time as a non-mainstream news gatherer who listened to a scanner and appeared at police, accident, and fire scenes with a camera ready to record. He was arrested twice during the 20th century pre-citizen-journalist era for interfering with officers and was found not guilty after one trial and guilty after another trial for these arrests. The not guilty verdict resulted in his picture on the cover of the February 1990 edition of the National Press Photographer's Association magazine with an inside story, inside story, "TV Freelancer Ed Peruta fights State Cops and Wins." In 1991, American News expanded to Cable Television productions on the Cox Communications system where Ed produced a variety of live and taped telephone call-in programs that were as much entertaining as controversial. Since 2007, Ed has been associated with Attorney Rachel M. Baird of Harwinton, Connecticut, as a legal investigator. Rachel and Ed produce shows from the American News Media Center in Harwinton that are broadcast live in the internet and rebroadcast on public access cable stations in northwest Connecticut. Together Rachel and Ed address issues of public concern whether through litigation, grassroots participation and advocacy, or public disclosure. these include violations of First, Second, and Fourth Amendments constitutional rights. Ed's Second Amendment case has its own Wikipedia page titled Peruta v. San Diego County. In Connecticut, American News is challenging the policies of the Hartford Police Department which led officers on two occasions in 2014 and 2015 to prevent Ed from recording police activity. Many of the video depositions from this federal case have been posted at the American News website. Following her graduation from Yale Law School in 1992, Ms. Baird worked as an assistant attorney general and then as an assistant state’s attorney representing the state of Connecticut in civil and criminal matters, respectively. Her background includes graduation from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, during a six year enlistment in the United States Air Force. While in the military, Ms. Baird began her undergraduate education at the University of Maryland, European Campus, in Germany. She continued her education at the University of South Carolina when she was transferred to Shaw Air Base, in Sumter, South Carolina. After an honorable discharge from the military, Ms. Baird completed a degree in International Studies, magna cm laude, at the University of South Carolina and applied to and graduated from Yale Law School. Baird’s employment as an Assistant Attorney General and Assistant State’s Attorney for the State of Connecticut prior to entering private practice provides her with the background, education, and experience necessary to represent and advise individuals on a wide variety of civil, criminal and administrative topics.
