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Hello John,
When you invest in the Institute for Free Speech, you are making a tangible impact on First Amendment political free speech rights – no other organization fights and wins more cases in this area of the law.
And as we approach the end of 2023, I wanted to take a moment to share a few of the wins that our supporters have helped us accomplish this year.
- A Wyoming gun rights group won their case against a vague donor disclosure law weaponized by one of their political opponents.
- School board candidates in Florida can now tell voters their party affiliation.
- Not to mention, a group of concerned moms in Georgia regained the ability to speak without fear of being censored by their local school board about the types of educational materials used to teach their children.
And those examples only represent some of the cases we closed this year. Supporters of the Institute for Free Speech also helped us win initial rulings in two high-profile cases: one challenging the collection of major donor information by the IRS and another challenging mandatory enforcement of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) policies against our client, a California professor.
Thanks to our supporters, we were able to hire three new experienced attorneys to our capable legal team, each with over eight years of experience, as well as a junior attorney with a stellar background. This allowed us to further expand our litigation portfolio to 14 cases—the largest in our 18-year history—and expect to file more soon.
Aside from our successes in the courtroom, we also had major wins “in the court of public opinion” by educating the public and policymakers alike to be a force for free speech themselves. Just this year, we provided invited expert testimony four times before legislative bodies, two of which were before the U.S. Congress.
Additionally, we submitted numerous written comments on a wide range of issues at the federal and state levels, including before the Federal Election Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and the House Ways and Means Committee. Additionally, our commentary has reached millions of our fellow citizens via top media outlets such as Fox News, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and The National Review.
When you invest in the Institute for Free Speech, you are giving the censored a voice, and the censors a reason to think twice. Our supporters have helped us accomplish a tremendous amount in the name of free speech but there is still more work to be done.
The breadth of our activities in 2023 reflects the wide range of anti-speech policies and practices at the federal, state, and local levels. With rising danger to donor privacy, academic freedom, parents’ political speech rights, and faculty’s dissent-crushing indoctrination, the Institute for Free Speech is on the vanguard of these battles that directly impact First Amendment rights.
Please consider supporting the Institute for Free Speech’s work to rack up more victories for free speech today by making a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation at ifs.org/donate.
In 2024, we aim to build on our momentum by continuing to grow our litigation team, fighting back against college and school board censorship and campaign finance laws that protect incumbents, improving our research capacity, and seeking new court precedents to protect political free speech and donor privacy rights.
Thank you again, John, for your interest in the Institute for Free Speech and for all you do to protect freedom. I wish you a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
David Keating
President
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