On March 18, an anonymous individual filed a federal lawsuit against a Missouri law that makes it a crime for anyone to circulate a handbill commenting on a candidate for public office, if the handbill doesn’t identify the person paying for the literature. John Doe v Weedman, w.d., 2:15cv-4054.
The plaintiff wants to circulate literature for the April 7 election for Ferguson city council. He wants to criticize one candidate, and advocate the election of an opposing candidate. “John Doe” wants to criticize a candidate who is currently a prosecutor and a judge, and “John Doe” is afraid that if his name is on the handbill, that might have bad consequences for himself. The case is filed in the western district because it contains the state capital and the lawsuit challenges a state law. The case is assigned to Judge Dean Whipple, a Reagan appointee. Thanks to the Center for Competitive Elections for this news. Here is the complaint.
Case by the MO ACLU —
http://www.aclu-mo.org/
TYRANT regimes by definition LOVE to control speech and press stuff — see the Hitler and Stalin propaganda depts.
See now the Putin regime in Russia.
Normally, I’m for “transparency” this new word that Liberals are beating to death. But today, “transparency” can get you killed.
Especially in a racially-charged town like Ferguson, MO where many people still think Michael Brown was murdered by a police officer doing his duty. Why do you think I use the moniker “Alabama Independent” for my replies to BAN and other blogs. I know if someone wants to find you hard enough, they can. But I’m not waving a red flag saying, “I’m over here – come get me.”
But at the same time, some of us have got to have some courage and be willing to speak the truth. I have no job to lose. I have no home to lose. What little money I have is in the bank, and is secured.
So as long as I can, I’m going to speak the truth, though I will use a little common sense in doing so in public. But it is a sad day for Americans, when people cannot express an opinion without the phone ringing in the middle of the night with a threatening message, or finding your tires slashed the next morning. I thought things like this happened in the old Soviet Union and in Nazi Germany. Perhaps we did not win WWII after all?
If anything COMMUNISM won in WW II —
take over of eastern Europe and later China.
Lots of Roosevelt USA trucks and planes to help Stalin takeover eastern Europe in 1943-1945.
Thus now ALL of the BE politically correct OR ELSE stuff — i.e. TYRANT leftwing stuff at the moment in many States having leftwing gerrymander regimes and State Govs.
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P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
The case was voluntarily dismissed a few days ago. I don’t know why. Plaintiff had lost the injunction motion and appealed to the 8th circuit. I’ll see if I can find out what the circuit ruled if anything.