Hi John, A six-year court battle has produced a major victory for free speech in Connecticut. Two Connecticut state legislators claimed victory—with the help of the Institute for Free Speech. Former Connecticut Senator Joe Markley and now-Senator Rob Sampson recently won a unanimous 5-0 ruling from the Connecticut Supreme Court against the State Election Enforcement Commission (SEEC), which had tried to silence them simply for saying in their campaign mailers that they would oppose then-Governor Malloy’s tax hike agenda. WTIC 1080, Connecticut's largest radio station, hosted a discussion about the case with Institute for Free Speech Senior Attorney Charles “Chip” Miller and our clients. Joe and Rob had this to say about their experience: “I don’t know what we would have done. We were effectively being railroaded by the bureaucracy…. There was nothing we could do. The people who said we committed a violation were the same people who were the judges and jury. Until we ultimately were able to challenge them in court and have legal representation of superb quality, that helped us become vindicated after all this time.” - Rob Sampson “We thought how in the world are we going to do that? We’re not lawyers; we can’t afford lawyers; who possibly could help us? Who stepped up, and stepped up magnificently was the Institute for Free Speech.” - Joe Markley You can listen to their full conversation here. You can also learn more about the case by visiting our website ifs.org. In Other News... Institute for Free Speech Chairman and Founder Bradley A. Smith comments on Standing to Challenge Government Censorship Act introduced by Senator Rand Paul. “Rights that cannot be vindicated in court are not rights at all. By closing the courthouse doors to Americans who are victimized by government censorship campaigns, Murthy invites the government to violate First Amendment rights at will—so long as it does so indirectly, utilizing numerous government agencies, rather than directly or through a single agency. Murthy essentially gives the government a blueprint on how to censor American citizens. This legislation says, ‘not so fast.'" Until next time, David Keating President, Institute for Free Speech Support Free Speech Today Follow the Institute for Free Speech The Institute for Free Speech is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that promotes and defends the political rights to free speech, press, assembly, and petition guaranteed by the First Amendment. Please support the Institute's mission by clicking here. For further information, visit www.ifs.org. The Institute for Free Speech | 1150 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 801 | Washington, DC 20036 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice