On December 18, U.S. District Court Judge David M. Lawson, a Clinton appointee, ordered the city of Centerline, Michigan, not to threaten Michael Mattia with arrest for displaying large posters on public sidewalks that show pictures of aborted fetuses. Mattia v City of Center Line, e.d., 2:17cv-11169. Center Line is in Macomb County. Here is the court order. Thanks to the Institute for Free Speech for this news.
Ballot Access News
Edited By Richard Winger
ANY mere humans trying to walk on such sidewalks
— filled with *large* posters of whatever
— incumbent HACKS, foreign tyrants, outer space folks, etc. ???
Is this site all about elections and court decisions? Let me know who you are exactly.
@Marian Vail: I would think the case is relevant to this site (and Richard Winger, its editor) because it involves a form of speech on public sidewalks, which has definitely also been an issue in a good number of cases related to elections and campaigning.
Since SCOTUS stated having the 1st Amdt in election LAW cases (esp ballot access) in the 1960s, there are now all sorts of 1st Amdt cases having actual or potential election connections.
What if the sidewalk posters are part of an election for a public office (ie a nominating petition) – esp. Congress or State legislature ???
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/macomb/2017/12/22/center-line-abortion-protester/977423001/
partial picture of the posters