EXCLUSIVE: GOP Mich. State Rep. Sues Legislature, Alleges First Amendment Violations where Democrat Speaker Silencing Elected Officials
Filing in federal court today, Republican Michigan State Representative Matt Maddock alleges that the Democrat Speaker Joe Tate prohibits criticism by sitting legislators of Democrat policies and elected officials and asks the judiciary to render it unconstitutional under the First Amendment.
You can read the complaint here, and the request for an injunction here.
The case represents the governmental body of the legislature using its powers to silence its own conservative elected officials serving within it. The legislature, as evidenced in the complaint’s exhibits, were censoring whole pages of Maddock’s communications with citizens.
Some examples provided in the complaint about speech that is prohibited under the House Rules as enforced by Speaker Tate:
- Criticizing the legislature
- Criticizing fellow legislators
- Criticizing the Governor
- Anything deemed “partisan”
- Impugning motives of groups like lobbyists
The House under Democrat control even censored Maddock from repeating the truthful and popular phrase,
