Little-Acorn
01-10-2008, 12:47 PM
The bad news: Several judges seem to think that the new movie "Hillary, the Movie" constitutes political advertising, and so must be banned before an election according to John McCain's so-called "Campaign Finance Reform" act.
The worse news: Judges now have the power to decide what we can say and when we can say it, particularly in regards to political speech, a flat violation of the 1st amendment. The Supreme Court said they could, several years ago, in a decision excoriated by four USSC justices as the "most significant abridgment of the freedoms of speech and association since the Civil War" and other such descriptions.
The reason the five liberal justices gave judges that power? Because some of that politicial speech might offend somebody at some time.
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http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8U35BSG0&show_article=1
Judges: Anti-Clinton Film Is Advertising
Jan 10 12:26 PM US/Eastern
By MATT APUZZO
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - The early reviews are in, and three federal judges appeared in agreement Wednesday that a movie lambasting Hillary Clinton seemed an awful lot like a 90-minute campaign advertisement.
Citizens United, a conservative advocacy group, is challenging the nation's campaign finance laws, which require disclaimers on political advertisements and restrict when they can be broadcast. The group argues "Hillary: The Movie" and related television advertisements are not political advertising even though the New York senator is in the presidential race.
Attorney James Bopp argued that they should be considered "issue- oriented" speech because viewers aren't urged to vote for or against the Democrat.
"What's the issue?" asked Judge A. Raymond Randolph, a federal appeals judge sitting on a mixed panel to review the case.
"That Hillary Clinton is a European Socialist," Bopp replied. "That is an issue."
"Which has nothing to do with her campaign?" U.S District Judge Royce C. Lamberth interjected.
"Not specifically, no," Bopp replied.
"Once you say, 'Hillary Clinton is a European Socialist,' aren't you saying vote against her?"
Bopp disagreed because the movie did not use the word "vote."
"Oh, that's ridic...," Lamberth said, trailing off and ending the line of questioning.
Rest at Link
The worse news: Judges now have the power to decide what we can say and when we can say it, particularly in regards to political speech, a flat violation of the 1st amendment. The Supreme Court said they could, several years ago, in a decision excoriated by four USSC justices as the "most significant abridgment of the freedoms of speech and association since the Civil War" and other such descriptions.
The reason the five liberal justices gave judges that power? Because some of that politicial speech might offend somebody at some time.
----------------------------------
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8U35BSG0&show_article=1
Judges: Anti-Clinton Film Is Advertising
Jan 10 12:26 PM US/Eastern
By MATT APUZZO
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - The early reviews are in, and three federal judges appeared in agreement Wednesday that a movie lambasting Hillary Clinton seemed an awful lot like a 90-minute campaign advertisement.
Citizens United, a conservative advocacy group, is challenging the nation's campaign finance laws, which require disclaimers on political advertisements and restrict when they can be broadcast. The group argues "Hillary: The Movie" and related television advertisements are not political advertising even though the New York senator is in the presidential race.
Attorney James Bopp argued that they should be considered "issue- oriented" speech because viewers aren't urged to vote for or against the Democrat.
"What's the issue?" asked Judge A. Raymond Randolph, a federal appeals judge sitting on a mixed panel to review the case.
"That Hillary Clinton is a European Socialist," Bopp replied. "That is an issue."
"Which has nothing to do with her campaign?" U.S District Judge Royce C. Lamberth interjected.
"Not specifically, no," Bopp replied.
"Once you say, 'Hillary Clinton is a European Socialist,' aren't you saying vote against her?"
Bopp disagreed because the movie did not use the word "vote."
"Oh, that's ridic...," Lamberth said, trailing off and ending the line of questioning.
Rest at Link