Family Council Joins Amicus Brief Before U.S. Supreme Court

Free Speech,

In November, Family Council joined 52 other individuals and organizations in an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to protect basic First Amendment freedoms.

The case is NRA v. Vullo from New York.

Advancing American Freedom (AAF) led the amicus brief filed on November 19 asking the Supreme Court to hear the case.

In a statement, AAF said:

In this case, the New York government pressured insurance companies to drop coverage of insurance plans they offered through the National Rifle Association (NRA), offering prosecutorial lenience if they did so. Last year, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Maria Vullo, the Superintendent of New York’s Department of Financial Services, had violated the NRA’s First Amendment rights.

However, on remand, the Second Circuit held that Maria Vullo was entitled to qualified immunity and thus was immune from civil liability. The NRA is asking the Supreme Court to hear its case once again and vindicate the organization’s First Amendment Rights.

The amicus brief argues Superintendent Vullo should be held accountable for violating the NRA’s constitutional freedoms by weaponizing private companies against the NRA.

Unfortunately, in recent years, news outlets and congressional testimony have alleged that government policies and departments have been weaponized against law-abiding citizens — especially conservative organizations and Christians.

Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government released a report showing that after the events of January 6, 2021, federal officials gave banks and financial institutions an analysis that listed legitimate, conservative groups such as Alliance Defending Freedom, the American College of Pediatricians, American Family Association, Eagle Forum, Family Research Council, Liberty Counsel, National Organization for Marriage, and the Ruth Institute as “Hate Groups” alongside the KKK and the American Nazi Party.

Americans should be free to exercise their First Amendment freedoms without fear of being canceled by government officials.

You can read the amicus brief here.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Ohio House Passes Pro-Life “Baby Olivia” Bill Similar to Arkansas Measure

Abortion, , ,

On November 19, the Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill that would help educate public school students about unborn children.

Ohio House Bill 485, The Baby Olivia Act, makes it possible for public school students to see a recording of a high-definition ultrasound video as well as Live Action’s computer-animated “Meet Baby Olivia” video that teaches about human development from conception to birth.

Ohio’s bill is nearly identical to legislation proposed and passed in Arkansas earlier this year.

H.B. 1180, The Baby Olivia Act, by Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville) and Sen. Clint Penzo (R — Springdale) would have let public school students in Arkansas see an ultrasound recording and watch the Baby Olivia video as part of sex education and human development courses.

Arkansas’ Baby Olivia Act passed with overwhelming support in the Arkansas House, but it failed repeatedly in the Senate Education Committee.

Fortunately, the Arkansas Legislature did eventually pass S.B. 450 by Sen. Breanne Davis (R — Russellville) and Rep. Kendra Moore (R — Lincoln). The law does not reference the Baby Olivia video, but it does let public school students see a recording of a high-definition ultrasound and learn important facts about how unborn children develop in the womb.

Ultrasound images help demonstrate that unborn children are human beings.

Very few medical advancements have done more to change hearts and minds on abortion than ultrasound technology. In fact, research has shown that some women are less likely to have an abortion if they see an ultrasound image of their unborn child.

With that in mind, it’s good for states like Arkansas to pass laws teaching students about unborn children.

Below is the “Meet Baby Olivia” video by Live Action that Ohio House Bill 485 would let public schools show to students.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Arkansas State Police Seize 221 Pounds of Illegal Marijuana at State Line

Marijuana

Arkansas State Police made a significant marijuana bust earlier this month from an Oklahoma man attempting to transport drugs across state lines.

On November 18, an Arkansas State Trooper stopped a 2005 Toyota pickup truck near the Arkansas-Oklahoma border for a traffic violation. During a search of the vehicle, troopers discovered approximately 221 pounds of illegal marijuana concealed in several trash bags in the truck bed.

This seizure highlights the ongoing problem of illegal drug trafficking through Arkansas.

Contrary to popular belief, legalization in other states has actually emboldened drug cartels and increased the flow of illegal marijuana products across the country.

The U.S. Department of Justice has said organized crime from Mexico and China may be making millions of dollars from illegal marijuana in states like California, Maine, New York, and Massachusetts.

Some of these illegal marijuana operations are tied to labor trafficking, violent crime, and foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party.

NPR has reported that illegal immigrants from China “are taking jobs at hundreds of cannabis farms springing up across the U.S.” Other correspondents have revealed how these illegal marijuana operations contribute to “modern day slavery on American soil.”

That’s one of the reasons Arkansans should think twice before voting to expand marijuana in the state.

All of this underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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