FINALLY! UW Professor sues State over Capitol access policy

[Lefta Dissenter]

Michael Kissick, a really great guy, has filed suit in Federal Court against the State's abuse of our First and Fourth Amendment rights in the Capitol. A few of us have known that this has been in the works, and we've been counting down the days until the filing, which was TODAY!

We just had our 500th consecutive weekday noon sing along last week, but we've been pretty blue, fighting against the increased pressure by the Dept of Administration and Dept of Justice to shut us down.

This is just the boost we need, and we hope that the Federal Courts will be able to stop the Walker Administration from plugging their ears to every note of dissent.

http://aclu-wi.org/story/uw-professor-challenges-capitol-access-rules

FORWARD in SOLIDARITY!


Edited to add that we're up to about 134 citations issued to citizens since the beginning of September. Many have been dismissed, and even more are still slated for jury trials in the coming months. Even the dismissed cases incur expenses for jury fees, service fees, etc. If you'd like to donate to help to defray the costs of these citations, you can do so at
http://solidaritysingalong.org/

Thank you!

[Scuba]

1. K&R

[hue]

2. Here is the J/S article re:this ACLU lawsuit

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/190760971.html

ACLU sues state over Capitol protest rules
Madison -- The state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin sued Gov. Scott Walker's administration in federal court Monday to stop arrests of the daily protest singers in the state Capitol.

The protests happening at the statehouse for two years now have pitted free speech concerns against the complaints of Republican officials who say that the demonstrators harass opponents and that many other states have rules in place to regulate such events.

The suit filed in Madison Monday seeks to block Capitol Police and the state Departement of Administration from requiring permits for demonstrations and fining protesters who don't comply.

The lawsuit says that Michael Kissick, an assistant professor of medical physics and human oncology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, participated in demonstrations in the rotunda until September 2012, but then stopped because of concerns about ticketing and arrests.

“I have always attempted to follow the law while expressing my political views,” Kissick said in a statement. “I resent being treated as criminal for speaking freely in a public forum. This country was founded on dissent, so I view myself as a proud American exercising my rights to engage in the most protected of all speech."

[Jackpine Radical]

3. Off topic and all, but

this being Wisconsin, I always misread your user name as Lefse Dissenter.

[midnight]

4. I hope that elderly women who wanted to know why she was considered the leader in the

Last edited Mon Feb 18, 2013, 03:19 PM - Edit history (1)

sing along will be left alone now..



"The ACLU also filed a motion for a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the permit rules by DOA Secretary Mike Huebsch and Capitol Police Chief David Erwin."

Mike Huebsch is in charge of secret private source code that counts our vote.

"The permit policy creates a chilling effect on free speech in the Rotunda, a public space with unique symbolic significance. Surrounded by legislators’ offices, the governor’s office and the state Supreme Court chambers, the Rotunda historically has been devoted to public debate of issues important to the people of Wisconsin."

And police free speech..