Judge refuses to dismiss Rapert from suit over blocking commenters on Facebook and Twitter UPDATE
Federal Judge Kristine Baker today refused to dismiss
Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway) as an individual defendant in the lawsuit over his blocking commenters on his
Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Her order affirmed that he enjoyed “qualified immunity” as a public official, meaning the plaintiffs could not receive monetary damages if found to have violated the plaintiffs’ free speech rights but said he could still be sued as an individual for continuing to block the plaintiffs. He claimed the statute of limitations barred their suit, but the judge said each day they continue to be barred amounts to a continuing rights violation. She hasn’t yet ruled on the merits.
Little Rock, AR December 15, 2020 Today, the civil rights organization American Atheists celebrated a victory in its lawsuit for free speech and religious equality against Arkansas State Senator Stanley Jason Rapert. Judge Kristine G. Baker of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas denied Rapert’s supplemental motion to dismiss the lawsuit against him in his individual capacity.
Judge Baker agreed with American Atheists on each and every argument Rapert raised in his motion. She ruled that two of American Atheists’ four plaintiffs are not barred by Arkansas’ three-year statute of limitations, since they “allege that State Senator Rapert
Cranford, NJ In response to the resignation of Attorney General Bill Barr, American Atheists president Nick Fish released the following statement:
Bill Barr has been a scourge on our nation’s democracy who seemed to relish finding new ways to subvert the Constitution; weaponize religion against LGBTQ people, women, and religious minorities; and blame atheists and secular Americans for a whole host of our nation’s problems.
Good riddance.
Washington, D.C. Today, the civil rights organization American Atheists denounced the Trump Administration’s announcement today that it would strip nondiscrimination and religious freedom protections for Americans receiving taxpayer-funded services from religious providers.
The ten agencies affected are the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, and Veterans Affairs and the Administration for Children and Families and USAID. The final regulations will be published on December 17 and will go into effect on January 16, Religious Freedom Day.
“Once again, the Trump Administration is hijacking Religious Freedom Day to strip away religious freedom protections from everyday Americans in order to favor religious special interests. The irony is palpable,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists.
Some legacy players say itâs only the latest intensifier of decades of neglect.
By
Conner Reed
12/14/2020 at 5:00am
Published in the December 2020 issue of
Portland Monthly
In the soft-edged dreamscape of January 2020, when âcoronavirusâ was a distant whisper and people did wild things like go to movies and plays, Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish lost a long battle with cancer. Outpourings of grief and support zeroed in on his character, his loyalty to Portland despite the beckonings of higher office, and, crucially, his consistent support for the arts. In the following days, as the social media tributes stacked up, a nagging question ripped through the community: what now?