Free speech at the center of NRA Supreme Court case

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Back in 2018, a New York regulator encouraged companies to cut ties with the National Rifle Association, alleging it would be bad for business.

The NRA is now suing, saying that blacklisting violated their First Amendment rights.

Attorney Daniel Alter argues, free speech applies to the regulator too.

“It’s important for the government that’s elected to express its policy views and the way it thinks about the world and how people should act,” said Alter

Attorney Jay Carson with the Buckeye Institute thinks that’s unconstitutional.

“The problem is when you start having state officials tell companies, hey, it’s not in your best interest to do business with with this group that we find politically distasteful, that starts to to to cross lines,” said Carson.

Supreme Court Justices will be hearing these arguments Monday, when they’ll decide who is owed protection under the first amendment.

Both agree, a ruling comes with consequence that go far beyond guns.

“You can imagine political groups from every part of the spectrum decided that they wanted to sue officials claiming that they were somehow hostile towards their political ideology while they were doing their job would really put a lot of agencies and regulatory work in chaos,” said Alter.

“What’s at stake is the ability of politically disfavored businesses to stay in business,” sais Carson.

Justices are expected to make a ruling by the end of spring.

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