Email from The Institute for Free Speech The Latest News from the Institute for Free Speech July 25, 2025 Click here to subscribe to the Daily Media Update. This is the Daily Media Update published by the Institute for Free Speech. For press inquiries, please contact [email protected]. In the News The Trentonian: Lawmakers Need Privacy; So Do Their Supporters By Bradley Smith .....The tragic assassination of Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman and the attempted murder of State Senator John Hoffman in June spotlights the very real threat of political violence. In response to these shocking events, New Jersey Assemblyman Chris DePhillips proposed legislation shielding state legislators’ home addresses from public disclosure. This change would follow recent, similar reform efforts. Two years ago, the legislature removed residences from financial disclosure forms. A 2022 bill proposed by Assemblyman Lou Greenwald would have removed the addresses of candidates and elected officials from documents subject to the Open Public Records Act. These common-sense measures recognize that people shouldn’t have to choose between public service and ensuring their families’ safety. As the state considers protecting lawmakers, it should also address a vulnerability that puts tens of thousands of ordinary New Jerseyans at risk: the mandatory public disclosure of political contributors’ addresses. Supreme Court The Hill: Trade group asks Supreme Court to limit Mississippi’s social media law By Zach Schonfeld .....An internet trade group asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to block Mississippi from enforcing its age-verification law against nine major social media platforms. NetChoice asked the justices for an emergency intervention after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week without explanation lifted a block that had protected platforms like Facebook and Instagram from the new requirements. “In a one-sentence order, the Fifth Circuit upended the First Amendment rights of Mississippi citizens seeking to access fully protected speech across social media websites,” NetChoice wrote. The Courts Courthouse News: Ohio aims to reinstate ban on political donations from foreign nationals By Kevin Koeninger .....The threat of foreign influence in American elections is grave enough to allow states to ban political contributions from noncitizens, the state of Ohio argued Wednesday before the Sixth Circuit. Citing concerns about the "corrosive effects" of foreign money "pouring into campaign issues," the Buckeye State passed an election spending law in 2024 that prohibited foreign nationals and those with green cards from making campaign contributions in any election. Ed. note: Listen to oral argument here. IndyStar: ACLU lawsuit over Indiana's college intellectual diversity law is dismissed By Cate Charron .....A legal challenge to Indiana's law mandating "intellectual diversity" in college classrooms has been dismissed after a judge ruled the fear behind the law's subsequent chilling effect on free expression was unproven. In his July 23 order, Judge Richard L. Young wrote that the legal complaint was premature. The case also lacks standing, he said, because universities have not taken or threatened enforcement actions against faculty members. "The court finds Plaintiffs have adequately shown they have an actual fear of enforcement that has chilled their protected speech," wrote Young, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton. "The issue is whether that fear is well-founded." Carolina Journal: Appeals Court rules for Asheville in abortion clinic noise dispute .....As split federal Appeals Court panel has reversed a lower court ruling involving Asheville city government’s noise limits near a Planned Parenthood site. The 2-1 decision Wednesday favors the city over an abortion critic who won at the trial court. “The City of Asheville appeals from the district court’s orders enjoining enforcement of a municipal ordinance that prohibits the use of amplified sound within 150 feet of a medical clinic during its operating hours,” Judge James Wynn wrote for the court’s majority. “The district court initially found that the ordinance likely infringed upon the rights of Plaintiff Zachary Hebb under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, and temporarily enjoined its enforcement.” Boston Globe: Judge says R.I. officials have immunity in First Amendment lawsuit By Edward Fitzpatrick .....A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that legislative immunity protects Warwick officials accused of violating a critic’s First Amendment rights, but the critic’s lawsuit can proceed against the city of Warwick. The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island filed the First Amendment lawsuit in August 2023 after Rob Cote was removed by a police officer after attempting to speak during the public comment period of a Warwick City Council meeting. “I’d like to congratulate Councilwoman Travis for another front page of the Providence Journal,” Cote said, referring to a story about how then-Councilwoman Donna Travis “took the lot next to her house in a shady deal.” Travis, who was presiding over the meeting as council president pro-tempore, cut him off and said, “You will be talking about city government or you’ll be leaving.” Cote said he did plan to talk about the government, but Travis had an officer escort him out of the meeting. Reason (Volokh Conspiracy): Jury Concludes Policy Banning Written Signs at School Board Meetings Was Unreasonable, Implemented in a Viewpoint-Based Way By Eugene Volokh .....The court entered judgment today on this in Schmidt v. Falcon School Dist. 49; here's an excerpt from the Mar. 21, 2025 opinion by Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell (D. Colo.) explaining the issues: Bloomberg Law: Judge Withdraws Pharma Opinion After Lawyer Flags Made-Up Quotes By Justin Henry .....A New Jersey US district court judge withdrew his decision in a biopharma securities case Wednesday after lawyers complained that his opinion contained numerous errors, including made-up quotes and misstated case outcomes. Judge Julien Xavier Neals of the US District Court for the District of New Jersey on June 30 denied CorMedix Inc.'s request to dismiss a lawsuit by shareholders. “That opinion and order were entered in error,” according to a notice the court posted in the case docket on Wednesday. “A subsequent opinion and order will follow.” Willkie Farr & Gallagher partner Andrew Lichtman, who represents CorMedix, wrote Neals on Tuesday, telling the judge he may want to “consider whether amendment or any other action should be taken” in regard to errors he made in his June 30 decision. Lawyers in a separate case earlier this month also pointed out flaws in Neals’ CorMedix opinion, saying it “contains pervasive and material inaccuracies.” Congress Daily Signal: Cruz Bill Would Target Financiers of Riots With Racketeering Charges By George Caldwell .....Sen. Ted Cruz introduced legislation Wednesday to take on organizations that finance riots, using the same tools that brought down the American Mafia. The Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act adds assistance to rioting as a predicate in order to prosecute organizations under the RICO Act, the Texas Republican lawmaker says. The RICO Act, or Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, was enacted in 1970 and was used to prosecute members of many organized crime outfits. According to a press release, Cruz’s amendment would “Enable the Department of Justice to use RICO tools—including joint liability and group prosecution, conspiracy charges, asset forfeiture, and enhanced criminal penalties—against organizations and individuals who repeatedly fund or coordinate violent interstate riots.” Washington Stand: Congress Must Investigate, Expose the Left’s Taxpayer-Funded NGO Complex By Mark Tapscott .....“Foreign funding and similar foreign ties raise more issues: American citizens have a right to privacy in their giving, but foreign nationals do not. Universities and political nonprofits, especially 501(c)(4)s, should face stricter requirements to disclose foreign ties and, in the case of political nonprofits, foreign funding should limit their ability to engage in politics,” [Capital Research Center’s Scott] Walter told TWS. Florida Politics: Gus Bilirakis, Kathy Castor again file bipartisan legislation to say ‘HEC No’ to ‘zombie campaigns’ By Janelle Irwin Taylor .....U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis and Kathy Castor have joined U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland to reintroduce legislation to slay “zombie campaigns.” That refers to campaign accounts stacked with cash and used for various purposes — often far outside the intended purposes — long after the candidate the accounts were supposed to benefit left office. The bipartisan legislation — Castor and Raskin are Democrats, while Bilirakis is a Republican — is dubbed the Honest Elections and Campaign, No Gain Act, or cleverly, “HEC No.” It calls on those no longer seeking office to close their campaign accounts within two years, rather than living on in perpetuity. The States Center Square (Michigan): Michigan House Republicans subpoena multiple public officials, including AG By Elyse Apel .....The House Oversight Committee has authorized multiple subpoena requests for some of Michigan's highest public officials. The subpoenas were issued for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel and Attorney General Dana Nessel. This is the most extensive use of the legislature’s subpoena power in Michigan history… The subpoenas were authorized for a variety of reasons, all related to allegations of government misconduct. According to DeBoyer, Nessel’s case was “particularly concerning” as it deals with two cases of potential dark money schemes and criminal activity. “Both cases appear to have been buried and never properly investigated,” said a press release from Michigan House Republicans. Reason (Volokh Conspiracy): Judicial and Quasi-Judicial Officials, Protest Rallies, and Pride Parades By Eugene Volokh .....From a N.Y. Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics decision released Mar. 27, 2025 but just posted on Westlaw: The City: New Eric Adams ‘Donors’ Say They Never Gave to His Reelection Campaign By Greg B. Smith and Haidee Chu .....Just weeks after the Trump administration pulled off the dismissal of corrupt fundraising charges against Mayor Eric Adams, it appears that his reelection campaign was at it again, an investigation by THE CITY has found. The Adams campaign in May once more accepted funds from individuals who appear to be straw donors and submitted them to the city’s $8-to$1 public matching dollars program. Two individuals listed by the campaign as making donations eligible for matching funds told THE CITY they are unemployed and did not give to Adams or any other candidate. Another contribution for which Adams sought a match was paid for by a credit card linked to the donor’s employer. Three donors listed addresses where they do not appear to live. THE CITY is keeping the names of alleged donors anonymous out of concerns of possible retribution. These suspect contributions came as part of two waves of donations to the Adams 2025 campaign made in May — shortly after Adams celebrated a federal judge’s April 2 order dismissing his corruption and bribery case. Read an article you think we would be interested in? Send it to Tiffany Donnelly at [email protected]. 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