Supreme Court to Review Crucial Election Law Case, Impacting Millions of Voters.

Political Commentator Rogan O’Handley Appeals to Supreme Court in Landmark Election Law ​Case

Renowned political commentator Rogan O’Handley has taken his fight to the highest court in ⁣the land. O’Handley is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his case regarding a controversial⁢ California law that gives state officials the⁤ power to combat “misleading”⁣ election information on social media platforms.

In ‍2021, O’Handley filed a lawsuit against California ‍in federal district court, alleging that the state had unfairly targeted him on Twitter for posting disinformation about the 2020 election.‍ He argued ⁣that the government’s actions violated his First Amendment right to free speech.

California countered by claiming that ⁣it ​was simply exercising its right to communicate its ⁣views to social media platforms, which then made the decision whether⁣ to remove the content identified by the state as false.

O’Handley, known by his‍ Twitter handle @DC_Draino, made a post⁣ on November​ 12, 2020, calling for an audit of every California ballot to ‌protect the integrity of the state’s elections. The California Secretary‌ of State’s Office of Elections Cybersecurity contacted Twitter⁤ about the post, claiming that it spread disinformation and created distrust among the public.

Audit every California ballot

Election fraud is rampant nationwide and we all know California ​is‍ one of ‍the culprits

Do it to protect the integrity of that state’s elections

— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) November 13,​ 2020

Twitter responded by labeling O’Handley’s tweet as disputed and restricting interactions with it due to a risk of‍ violence. They also issued a strike against his⁣ account, ultimately leading to his suspension in February 2021.

O’Handley’s ‍lawsuit was dismissed by U.S.‌ District Judge Charles Breyer, who ruled that ‍California’s communication with Twitter did not directly infringe on O’Handley’s free speech rights. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld this ruling, stating that there was no “state action” for O’Handley to challenge under the First Amendment.

Undeterred, O’Handley appealed his case to the Supreme Court, arguing that government officials ‍must abide by the First Amendment when engaging in social media. He claimed ​that California officials discriminated against him based on his viewpoint and gave​ their own speech more protection than that of private citizens.

Conservative groups, including America’s Future, the Free Speech Coalition, and Gun Owners of America, have submitted an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to take up O’Handley’s case.‍ They argue that California’s actions amount to censorship and threaten the⁣ public’s faith in elections.

The outcome of this ‍case could have ⁤far-reaching implications for millions of voters. O’Handley and his supporters are hopeful that the Supreme Court will recognize the importance of ‍protecting‌ free speech⁤ in the digital age.

Source: The Western Journal