Friday, November 5, 2021

Some "Florida Man" Insanity Is Ending -- But Much... Remains.


That goofy-looking, upside-down mask (mostly not-) wearing former Yale baseball team meathead (admitted as an athletic / legacy name, I'm reliably informed) from the early 1990s. . . has been inadvertently schooled this week in US Constitutional law, by the ACLU and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP -- and his betters. But I repeat myself. [Prior backgrounder here.]

Here is NPR on the latest:

. . .The university's earlier decision, which was revealed last week through documents filed in federal court, was widely criticized as an infringement of the professors' First Amendment rights.

The case was particularly under scrutiny because the lawsuit targeted legislation, supported by Gov. Ron DeSantis, that inhibited access to the ballot — and the school has strong ties to the governor.

University of Florida President Kent Fuchs said in a letter released Friday that he had asked the university's conflict of interest office to reverse the decision and "approve the requests regardless of personal compensation, assuming the activity is on their own time without using university resources. . . ."

UF professors Daniel Smith, Sharon Austin and Michael McDonald were originally denied the opportunity to testify; they are all experts on voting rights and elections. Their lawyers say that since the university's original decision to bar them from testifying is still a violation of their First Amendment rights, the professors are still considering their legal options.

"The fact remains that the University curtailed their First Amendment rights and academic freedoms, and as long as the University's policy remains, those rights and freedoms are at risk," David A. O'Neil and Paul Donnelly, lawyers for the professors, said in a statement. . . .


Now you know -- baby steps forward, in Florida, it seems. Ugh.



नमस्ते
at

2 comments:

  1. condorNovember 6, 2021 at 1:33 AM

    And, from the federal suit filed on Friday, by the Debovois firm:

    “. . . Notably, the State has not prohibited testimony by professors at public universities that favor its viewpoint. Florida International University, like the University of Florida, has adopted a policy that limits faculties outside activities that pose a conflict of interest with the “university, the Board of Governors, and/or the State of Florida.” Upon information and belief, pursuant to that policy, Florida International University permitted Professor Dario Moreno to receive compensation for being an expert witness for the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee as defendants in the very same litigation in which the University forbade Plaintiffs from doing the same for voting rights groups. . . .”

    https://whopperlinelie.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/life-u-florida-profs-free-speech-2021.pdf

    That’s as clear an allegation of content- and viewpoint-based prior restraint — by a state actor as anyone has seen in over a. . . century.

    Insane.

    ReplyDelete
  2. condorNovember 6, 2021 at 1:03 PM

    You. Cannot. Make. This. Stuff. Up. Dept.:

    Roger Stone is now saying he will run for Governor of Florida, solely to siphon votes AWAY from DeSantis, UNLESS DeSantis signs an oath NOT to seek the GOP Presidential nomination in 2024.

    Must mean Tangerine knows he's D.o.A., on a 2024 run.

    Seeing them eat their own. . . is just so. . . precious.

    Out, before I say something truly unkind. . . about the (pardoned, but convicted) felon Roger Stone.

    ReplyDelete