{"id":2333288,"date":"2024-08-29T07:18:01","date_gmt":"2024-08-29T11:18:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/free-speech-group-says-it-plans-to-sue-az-city-over-arrest\/"},"modified":"2024-08-29T07:24:37","modified_gmt":"2024-08-29T11:24:37","slug":"free-speech-group-says-it-plans-to-sue-az-city-over-arrest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/free-speech-group-says-it-plans-to-sue-az-city-over-arrest\/","title":{"rendered":"Free Speech Group Says It Plans To Sue AZ City Over Arrest"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffree-speech-group-says-it-plans-to-sue-az-city-over-arrest%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2333288&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article reports \u2063on a significant\u2062 incident\u200c concerning free\u2062 speech rights during a\u200b public meeting \u2062in the city of Surprise, Arizona. Rebekah Massie, a local \u200bactivist, was arrested after she criticized a city employee \u200bduring a \u2063City \u200cCouncil meeting, highlighting a broader issue \u2062regarding\u200c the rights of citizens to express \u2062dissent against public officials.<\/p>\n<p>The Foundation for\u200d Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a First Amendment advocacy group, announced its intention \u2063to sue \u2062the \u200ccity following Massie&#8217;s arrest. This action comes after Mayor Skip Hall intervened during her testimony, accusing her of \u2063violating rules governing public comments and\u2064 instructing police to\u2064 remove her\u2064 when she refused to \u2062stop speaking. Massie argued that\u2062 the rules\u200b were unconstitutional and that\u2062 her First Amendment rights were being infringed upon.<\/p>\n<p>Massie expressed her commitment to holding the local \u200bgovernment accountable and emphasized \u200bthe importance \u200dof free speech, especially as a lesson for\u2062 her \u2064daughter witnessing the\u200d incident. The legal ramifications of her case could set a precedent, as experts note that policies prohibiting criticism of officials may <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/feds-equate-typical-conservative-views-with-violent-extremism-in-financial-surveillance-house-weaponization-committee-finds\/\" title=\"House Weaponization Committee Finds: Feds Label Conservative Views as &#039;Violent Extremism&#039; in Financial Surveillance\">violate constitutional protections<\/a>. Massie faces misdemeanor charges, which could lead to fines\u200b and\u200b possible jail time, although the mayor did not respond to requests for comment on the incident. <\/p>\n<p>This situation underscores the ongoing tension between\u200d government\u2063 authority and individual rights\u200b in public discourse.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=q_ZQasQJcQ0\">12 News\/YouTube<\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/29\/first-amendment-group-says-it-plans-to-support-arizona-resident-arrested-for-speaking-at-city-meeting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=First%20Amendment%20Group%20Says%20It%20Plans%20To%20Support%20Arizona%20Resident%20Arrested%20For%20Speaking%20At%20City%20Meeting&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/29\/first-amendment-group-says-it-plans-to-support-arizona-resident-arrested-for-speaking-at-city-meeting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=First%20Amendment%20Group%20Says%20It%20Plans%20To%20Support%20Arizona%20Resident%20Arrested%20For%20Speaking%20At%20City%20Meeting&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/29\/first-amendment-group-says-it-plans-to-support-arizona-resident-arrested-for-speaking-at-city-meeting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\" https:><\/path><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/29\/first-amendment-group-says-it-plans-to-support-arizona-resident-arrested-for-speaking-at-city-meeting\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=First%20Amendment%20Group%20Says%20It%20Plans%20To%20Support%20Arizona%20Resident%20Arrested%20For%20Speaking%20At%20City%20Meeting&amp;body=A%20First%20Amendment%20group%20indicated%20plans%20to%20sue%20Surprise,%20Arizona,%20after%20its%20mayor%20had%20a%20resident%20arrested%20for%20speaking%20at%20a%20public%20meeting.%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/08\/29\/first-amendment-group-says-it-plans-to-support-arizona-resident-arrested-for-speaking-at-city-meeting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>Legal help is reportedly on the way for an Arizona resident arrested for criticizing her city government during a public meeting last week.<\/p>\n<p>On Monday, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a First Amendment advocacy group, indicated plans to sue the city of Surprise after its mayor had local activist Rebekah Massie detained for scrutinizing a city employee during the locality&rsquo;s Aug. 20 City Council meeting.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-a1fd5271ae89e2023fbf415a6825afd7 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-a1fd5271ae89e2023fbf415a6825afd7\"><\/div>\n<p>&ldquo;The First Amendment protects every American&rsquo;s right to criticize public officials,&rdquo; FIRE Attorney Conor Fitzpatrick said in a statement given to The Federalist. &ldquo;The last thing people should fear when they go to a city council meeting to make their voice heard is leaving in handcuffs.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>During her testimony, Massie &ldquo;questioned the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wi-city-looks-to-tap-leftist-lawfare-attorneys-ahead-of-election\/\" title=\"WI City Looks To Tap Leftist Lawfare Attorneys Ahead Of Election\">city attorney&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s performance and compensation,&rdquo; according to <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/11tZb#selection-671.176-671.205\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Arizona Republic<\/a>, before being stopped by Mayor Skip Hall, who accused her of &ldquo;attacking the city attorney personally&rdquo; and violating <a href=\"https:\/\/radiofreehubcity.com\/2024\/08\/25\/surprise-arizona-resident-detained-during-council-meeting-raising-first-amendment-concerns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rules<\/a> governing public meetings.<\/p>\n<p>Massie called the guidelines &ldquo;unconstitutional&rdquo; and alleged that by refusing to allow her to speak freely, Hall was &ldquo;violating&rdquo; her &ldquo;First Amendment rights.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Hall subsequently threatened to have Massie removed if she did not cease her criticisms. Following a short back-and-forth with Massie, Hall asked an attending police officer to remove her from the meeting.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-cfc577af4b7ef8c03161bdf8f32407b9 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-cfc577af4b7ef8c03161bdf8f32407b9\"><\/div>\n<p>&ldquo;In front of my 10-year-old daughter, you&rsquo;re gonna escort me out for expressing my First Amendment rights?&rdquo; Massie asked. <\/p>\n<p>Hall replied, &ldquo;She can go with you.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Footage of the event shows Massie refusing to leave the podium before an officer forcibly removes her from the venue.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <span class=\"RrVwLnI4QHY5KiygaCWk09mPzSM\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Outrageous: Mayor of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AZSurprise?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@AZSurprise<\/a> has a resident arrested (in front of her 10-year-old daughter) for criticizing officials. At 2:30, Mayor <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/skiphall2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@skiphall2<\/a> warns her from &ldquo;attacking the city attorney personally&rdquo; and orders police to remove her. Appalling disregard for First Amendment. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/03ZJNtFr5o\">pic.twitter.com\/03ZJNtFr5o<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Adam Steinbaugh (@adamsteinbaugh) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/adamsteinbaugh\/status\/1827119331651502403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 23, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheFIREorg\/status\/1828075884726861938\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">citing<\/a> a video of the incident on X, FIRE notified the city of Surprise it would &ldquo;see [them] in court.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-09a3569a07c2fa4913fd8965e84eccae fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-09a3569a07c2fa4913fd8965e84eccae\"><\/div>\n<p>FIRE spokesman Jack Whitten did not disclose when such a suit would be brought, but said they will keep The Federalist &ldquo;posted on the lawsuit and when [they] intend to file.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In a statement given to The Federalist, Massie noted how, &ldquo;As an American, it&rsquo;s [her] right to speak out to keep the local government accountable,&rdquo; and &ldquo;as a mom, it&rsquo;s [her] obligation to set a good example and stand up for our fundamental rights &mdash; like the right of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/walz-no-free-speech-guarantee-if-dems-dislike-what-you-say\/\" title=\"Walz: No Free Speech Guarantee If Dems Dislike What You Say\">free speech &#038;mdash<\/a>; when they&rsquo;re threatened.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s the lesson I wanted to show my daughter,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;And now, it&rsquo;s the lesson I am determined to show the City of Surprise, Arizona.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Once filed, Massie&rsquo;s suit could likely entail free speech protections and restrictions deliberated in prior judicial cases. Speaking with The Federalist, Jon Riches, the Goldwater Institute&rsquo;s vice president for litigation &amp; general counsel, noted how courts &ldquo;have been really clear that the most susceptible speech restrictions are [those] that impose prior restraints on speech, or that prohibit speech based on its content.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In the case of Massie, he observed that it appears the Surprise City Council is &ldquo;relying on a policy that is so broad it would likely encompass both content, speech, and prior restraints on speech.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think the really clear principle here is that a government can&rsquo;t have a policy that attempts to prevent citizens from criticizing government officials,&rdquo; Riches said. &ldquo;The First Amendment plainly prohibits the government from gagging its citizens who want to criticize or question government action. So, to the extent that the city, in this case, is using this policy to prevent legitimate criticism from its citizens, that&rsquo;s unconstitutional.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Massie was arrested following the meeting and is currently facing class 1 and 3 misdemeanor charges, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/11tZb#selection-671.176-671.205\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Arizona Republic<\/a>. Individuals deemed guilty of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shouselaw.com\/az\/defense\/laws\/misdemeanor\/class-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">class 1 misdemeanor<\/a> could face up to six months in jail and be fined a maximum of $2,500. Those found guilty of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shouselaw.com\/az\/defense\/laws\/misdemeanor\/class-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">class 3 misdemeanor<\/a> could spend up to a month in&nbsp;jail, face $500 in&nbsp;fines, and one year of probation.<\/p>\n<p>Hall did not respond to The Federalist&rsquo;s request for comment. <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-92ae3fd596908452bb430257c8f9279e fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-92ae3fd596908452bb430257c8f9279e\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Shawn Fleetwood<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-twitter label-sm d-flex align-items-center mt-10\">             <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter me-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>             <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Visit on Twitter<\/span>            <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShawnFleetwood\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-decoration-none\" rel=\"noopener\">@ShawnFleetwood<\/a>           <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/shawnfleetwood\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/arizona\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Arizona<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/arrest\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">arrest<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/city-council\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">city council<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/first-amendment\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">First Amendment<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/foundation-for-individual-rights-and-expression\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/free-speech\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">free speech<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/jon-riches\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Jon Riches<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/rebekah-massie\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Rebekah Massie<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/skip-hall\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Skip Hall<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/surprise\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Surprise<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Legal assistance is reportedly forthcoming for an Arizona resident who was arrested for criticizing her local government during a public meeting last week. On Monday, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a group that advocates for First Amendment rights, announced plans to sue the city of Surprise after its mayor had activist Rebekah Massie detained for questioning a city employee at the City Council meeting on August 20. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery American has the right to criticize public officials under the First Amendment,\u201d stated FIRE Attorney Conor Fitzpatrick in comments provided to The Federalist. \u201cPeople should not fear being handcuffed when they attend a city council meeting to express their opinions.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>During her remarks, Massie raised concerns about the performance and pay of the city attorney, as reported by The Arizona Republic. Mayor Skip Hall interrupted her, claiming she was personally attacking the attorney and breaching public meeting rules. Massie countered that these rules were \u201cunconstitutional\u201d and accused Hall of infringing upon her First Amendment rights by restricting her speech.<\/p>\n<p>Hall then warned Massie that she would be removed if she continued with her criticisms. After a brief exchange between them, he instructed an officer present to escort her out of the meeting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn front of my 10-year-old daughter, you\u2019re going to have me escorted out for exercising my First Amendment rights?\u201d Massie questioned. Hall responded that her daughter could accompany her.<\/p>\n<p>Video footage shows Massie refusing to leave before an officer forcibly removed her from the venue.<\/p>\n<p>FIRE shared video evidence of this incident on X (formerly Twitter) and informed Surprise officials that they would be pursuing legal action against them.<\/p>\n<p>While FIRE spokesperson Jack Whitten did not specify when they would file suit, he assured The Federalist they would provide updates regarding their intentions.<\/p>\n<p>In comments made to The Federalist, Massie emphasized that it is both her right as an American citizen and responsibility as a mother to hold local government accountable and defend fundamental rights like free speech when threatened. \u201cThat\u2019s what I wanted my daughter to learn,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd now I\u2019m determined to show it to Surprise City.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Once filed, Massie&#8217;s lawsuit may address issues related to free speech protections based on previous court rulings. Jon Riches from the Goldwater Institute noted how courts have consistently ruled against policies imposing prior restraints or content-based restrictions on speech.<\/p>\n<p>He observed that it seems Surprise City Council is relying on overly broad policies likely infringing upon both content-related speech restrictions and prior restraints on expression.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe clear principle here is that governments cannot implement policies aimed at silencing citizens who wish to criticize officials,\u201d Riches stated. He added that any attempt by this city policy preventing legitimate criticism from residents would be unconstitutional.<\/p>\n<p>Massie&#8217;s arrest followed this incident; she faces class 1 and class 3 misdemeanor charges according to The Arizona Republic&#8217;s report. A conviction for class 1 misdemeanors could result in up six months in jail with fines up $2,500; class 3 misdemeanors carry potential penalties including up one month in jail or $500 fines along with one year probation.<\/p>\n<p>Mayor Hall did not respond when asked by The Federalist for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer at The Federalist with experience writing state-level content previously featured across various platforms including RealClearPolitics among others<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2333289,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Designer-2.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[4472,32311,4585],"class_list":["post-2333288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-arizona","tag-free-speech","tag-lawsuit"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Designer-2.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2333288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2333288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2333288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2333289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2333288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2333288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2333288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}