Articles

Seattle clashes with the First Amendment

February 22, 2018 | By ETHAN BLEVINS

Today, we filed the opening brief on appeal in Elster v. City of Seattle, our legal challenge to Seattle’s program that forces taxpayers to pay for private individuals’ campaign contributions. Seattle calls this a “democracy voucher” program. Here’s how it works: the city hands out four $25 vouchers to each Seattle r ...

Articles

Weekly litigation report—December 9, 2017

December 09, 2017 | By JAMES BURLING

PLF Asks Michigan Supreme Court to Review Taking of Home for an $8 debt, Oral Argument at the U.S. Sixth Circuit in PLF’s Marquette County case, and Seattle’s “involuntary speech – forced democracy” scheme has been appealed. … ...

Articles

PLF appeals in speech case against Seattle

December 07, 2017 | By ETHAN BLEVINS

First, has anyone run for office recently that you detest? Second, how would you feel if your government forced you to donate $100 to that candidate’s campaign? Now you know how our clients feel about democracy vouchers. … ...

Articles

Oral argument on Seattle’s ‘democracy voucher’ program

October 24, 2017 | By ETHAN BLEVINS

This Friday will be a big day for the First Amendment: a court will hear oral argument in Elster v. City of Seattle, PLF’s challenge to Seattle’s “democracy voucher” program. This is a vital case for the First Amendment’s uneasy relationship with campaign-finance laws, and the hearing is public. Here are the details: ...

Articles

Can government force you to pay for someone else’s expression?

October 12, 2017 | By ETHAN BLEVINS

Think on these three statements: A law forbids you from posting a sign that says, “Vote for Voldemort.” A law forces you to post a sign that says, “Vote for Voldemort.” A law forces you to pay for someone else’s sign that says, “Vote for Voldemort.” Should the First Amendment treat these laws differently? ...