We are in a race against the clock. We’ve met with 160 legislative offices to oppose a proposed law in the U.S. House. If allowed to stand, this rule will allow the District of Columbia and its public schools to violate constitutional and free rights of students, parents and the public without any consequences.

This is a shocking move! The District Council has decided that — like the sovereign kings of England — they are not subject to any financial penalties in court, even when a judge rules that District employees’ and public charter school lawsuits against private individuals are frivolous.

Since this is the District of Columbia, Congress can stop this nonsense by passing a “motion of disapproval,” but there is a short time limit for Congress to act.

We must stop the nation's capital from going rogue against students, parents and private citizens. Send as many faxes as possible to block the District. — Mat

The District already passed the “Corrections Oversight Improvement Omnibus Amendment Act of 2022.” If Congress does not disapprove this act, the District will be able to threaten, harass and sue private individuals to silence their speech. And the District will suffer no consequences for its frivolous actions.

In January, some Catholic high school students had their free speech right threatened. The Our Lady of the Rosary School students were visiting D.C. and told by Smithsonian staff to remove their winter hats that simply read “Pro-life,” or they would be kicked out of the Air and Space Museum! The museum staff allegedly mocked them and used profanity to refer to the faith of these students.

Even when the students countered that the hats were how they identified their group, a large man said that he “wasn’t having it” and that in spite of publicly displayed “PRIDE” messages, this staff member claimed that the Smithsonian was “a neutral zone and that [protection for free speech] doesn’t apply here.”

The Smithsonian also booted out students from Liberty University School of Law for wearing pro-life T-shirts during the annual March for Life.

The Smithsonian was established by Congress and receives a billion dollars annually from the government. Now government officials want to be able to violate the rights of people like these high school students and face no consequence.

Officials in D.C. need a massive wake-up call. We only have two weeks to stop this proposed act.

Make your voice heard today on Capitol Hill. It is absolutely critical to stop this act with a disapproval resolution. Send your urgent faxes to Congress to pass a disapproval resolution to block this attack on free speech.

One of the best protections for free speech is the “Anti-SLAPP” law, with SLAPP standing for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. This protects people against lawsuits filed “primarily to chill the valid exercise of constitutional rights of freedom of speech.” So, if someone files a frivolous lawsuit to silence your voice, you can counter-sue under the Anti-SLAPP law.

This is a powerful deterrent to stop lawsuits designed to chill free speech.

In fact, we used this law when a District public charter school filed a frivolous lawsuit to silence pro-life speech. But if this act passes, the District will be incentivized to file suits to silence people. Radicals in Washington, D.C., are intent on erasing this protection for free speech.

They want to be treated like kings with citizens who have no ability to question or criticize them — without the real threat of a lawsuit just for opening their mouths and speaking the truth … or holding a sign on a public sidewalk.

It makes you wonder who these radicals plan to silence next …

A threat against free speech anywhere in our nation is a threat against all free speech protections in America.

Because of the “Home Rule,” Congress can overturn what the District Council is attempting to do. This new amendment act cannot be allowed to stand. Send your urgent faxes to Congress to quickly pass a disapproval resolution to block this bad rule before it destroys free speech.

Our LC Action team is pounding the pavement. But I believe that the real power is when legislators hear directly from you.

We are working to educate legislators about these threats against free speech. We can only do this because of your support and your prayers for our organization! Together, we can have a significant impact.

Fighting for freedom,

Mat Staver, Chairman
Liberty Counsel Action

P.S. Sign our petition to block these attacks. God’s blessings on you.

Sources:

“Our Organization.” Smithsonian Institution. Accessed: February 8, 2023. Si.edu/about/administration.

Richardson, Valerie. “Smithsonian Hit with Lawsuit by Catholic Students Told to Remove Pro-Life Beanies or Leave.” The Washington Times, February 8, 2023. Washingtontimes.com/news/2023/feb/8/smithsonian-hit-lawsuit-catholic-students-told-rem/.