Articles

End Minnesota’s Political Apparel Ban

May 31, 2017 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

Minnesota is taking the ban on campaigning in polling places too far. This violation of free speech puts too much power in the hands of election managers to decide what is an acceptable political statement during voting. The law turns voters who wear tee shirts that have slight, sometimes unintentional, political statements on their clothing, R ...

Articles

Minnesota’s clothing ban turns voters into criminals

May 31, 2017 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

PLF’s Director of Communications Harold Johnson is joined by PLF Attorney Wen Fa and PLF Client Andy Cilek to discuss how The Supreme Court is being asked to review Minnesota’s speech-stifling restrictions on voter apparel. The law tramples free speech rights by forbidding voters from wearing anything to the polls that might be interpre ...

Articles

PLF uses Congressional Review Act to challenge illegally enforced wetlands guidance

May 31, 2017 | By TONY FRANCOIS

Last Friday, we filed a motion in federal court in the Duarte Nursery case, asking the judge to exclude evidence based on the 2008 Post-Rapanos Guidance because it was never submitted to Congress for review under the Congressional Review Act and is therefore, under that Act, not in effect and unenforceable. Followers of PLF’s Red … ...

Articles

Congressional leaders question attorney general about Duarte Nursery case

May 31, 2017 | By TONY FRANCOIS

Last Thursday, the chairmen of the House Agriculture and Judiciary Committees sent this letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, stating their concern that the Clean Water Act is being used to regulate and enforce against plowing and other normal farming practices that are not subject to permitting requirements under the Act: The prosecution of Mr ...

Articles

PLF asks Supreme Court to invalidate Minnesota dress code for voters

May 31, 2017 | By WENCONG FA

On Election Day, millions of Americans trek to polling places in all corners of this Nation. On the way to casting their vote, many proudly wear shirts, buttons, and badges of organizations that share their views. Union members, for example, may wear SEIU t-shirts; gun owners, National Rifle Association badges; readers of this blog, Pacific … ...

Articles

Victory in residential rental inspection case

May 30, 2017 | By MERIEM L. HUBBARD

Warrantless inspections of residential rental properties are a source of controversy in many California cities. Take, for example, the City of Highland located in San Bernardino County. The City adopted a Residential Rental Enhancement Program requiring an inspection of all residential rental properties. Pursuant to the Program, city inspectors cou ...

Articles

Weekly litigation report — May 27, 2017

May 27, 2017 | By JAMES BURLING

PLF urges the Administration to reverse Antiquities Act abuses  We submitted comments to the Department of Interior regarding its review of the Bears Ears National Monument. The Monument, like several others made in the past twenty years, is not a small reservation of land to protect historic artifacts. Instead, it prevents multiple and productive ...

Articles

PLF's Wen Fa speaks to the Conservative Republicans of San Joaquin County

May 26, 2017 | By WENCONG FA

Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking to the Conservative Republicans of San Joaquin County. I discussed PLF’s latest efforts to protect the First Amendment rights of voters nationwide, something you’ll hear much more about next week. The speech centers around PLF client Andy Cilek, who was threatened with criminal and civil charges ...

Articles

PLF urges the Administration to reverse Antiquities Act abuses

May 26, 2017 | By JEFF MCCOY

As readers of this blog are aware, many Presidents have abused their power under the Antiquities Act to prevent productive use on federal lands (and on the ocean). President Trump has ordered a review of several of these Monuments, and the Department of the Interior has solicited comments from the public. Yesterday, PLF submitted comments … ...