Trump suddenly believes in free speech
Poor Donald Trump believes his right to free speech was violated by not being able to hold a rally Friday night. This is a sudden belief in the First Amendment as Rachel Stockman notes:
- On February 17, Trump sent a cease and desist letter threatening legal action against his opponent Ted Cruz over his television ads. Trump wanted them pulled for being false. Only thing is that Cruz was actually just replaying old television clips of something Donald Trump himself actually said. “Mr. Trump’s threatened lawsuit against Senator Cruz is ridiculous, absurd, laughable. Senator Cruz’s speech is First Amendment protected as his opinion based upon the very tape contained in the advertisement,” well-known First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams told LawNewz.com at the time. (Abrams is also the father of LawNewz.com’s founder)
- Then there is this… On February 26, Trump told a crowd of excited supporters at a Texas rally that he is going to “open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money.” In other words, he wants to amend laws (which he actually can’t do as president) to make it harder for journalists (or really any bloggers) to publish anything negative about him. He apparently forgot about the landmark Supreme Court case, New York Times v. Sullivan, which based its ruling on the premise that our country has a “profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust and wide-open, and that it may well include vehement, caustic and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials.”
- Oh, and let’s not forget February 29 when things turned violent against a Time Magazine photographer who was manhandled by secret service agents at a Trump rally at Radford University in Virginia. The incident occurred, according to The Guardian, just as Trump wrapped up a speech once again taking aim at the press and free speech. “We want honesty so we’re going to get the laws changed so that the press has to be honest and if they’re not honest, if they say things that are wrong, they can be sued and they’re going to have to correct it and maybe pay penalties and maybe face something. Do you like that idea?” he told to an excited crowd. Penalties and ‘face something’ more?
Copyright 2016 Liberaland Show Article
17 responses to Trump suddenly believes in free speech
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rat618 March 12th, 2016 at 09:35
Reichwingers are always screaming FOR their first amendment rights and screaming AGAINST your first amendment rights.
The Original Just Me March 12th, 2016 at 11:23
You Got It Right.
Dave Taylor March 12th, 2016 at 20:56
Listened to part of his speech tonight and he said he wants to have protesters arrested and that he would file charges against them, so much for the first amendment
William March 12th, 2016 at 09:36
Having a rally in white bread Goober-ville is not the same as having one in a big city.
tracey marie March 12th, 2016 at 10:01
trump want’s his free speech rights calling for violence against blacks and muslims yet get’s angry when he is met with the free speech rights of those who disagree with his hate.
The Original Just Me March 12th, 2016 at 11:22
My way or the Trump Way ? I’ll take anyway but the Trump way. :+)
tracey marie March 12th, 2016 at 11:38
I agree with you.
The Original Just Me March 12th, 2016 at 11:48
You agree with me and I Agree with and Admire you. That works. :+)
robert March 12th, 2016 at 10:07
did trump actually believe they wouldn’t show up ?
anothertoothpick March 12th, 2016 at 12:23
The Great West side of that Great City, Chicago.
The Original Just Me March 12th, 2016 at 11:21
Yes Sir, Trump is going to bring us all together, in a “YUGE” Fist Fight.
anothertoothpick March 12th, 2016 at 12:09
And the republicans hate trump more than we do.
CHOCOL8MILK March 12th, 2016 at 12:29
I love how Trump is using the GOP play book against the GOP.
labman57 March 12th, 2016 at 12:29
Anyone with a high school civics class-level of knowledge understands that the First Amendment restricts the government from denying the citizen’s right to free speech, and that it actually protects one’s right to peacefully protest.
Donald’s goons that have been instigating the physical altercations, shoving and sucker-punching protesters … and Trump has been explicitly sanctioning their violent behavior.
KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker March 12th, 2016 at 12:29
The KKK ain’t so popular in Illinois as they are in the southern hillbilly states. Go figure?!?!
William March 12th, 2016 at 14:52
He’s askeered.
Jack E Raynbeau March 12th, 2016 at 19:29
If Trump knew anything about the constitution he would know that this is not a 1st Amendment issue.