U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT) and 17 of their colleagues in filing an amicus brief in support of free speech and religious liberty rights in the case of 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis – a follow-up to the highly publicized Masterpiece Cakeshop case.
A lower court in Colorado decided the government can force Lorie Smith, as a creative website designer and owner of a small business, to design and publish websites promoting messages that violate her beliefs. The senators’ brief argues the First Amendment protects against compelled speech, especially when it violates sincerely held religious beliefs, and calls for the Supreme Court to reaffirm freedom of speech and freedom of religion are core civil liberties protected by the U.S. Constitution.
“Religious speech holds a uniquely important and protected place in American history and jurisprudence. Ms. Smith and others like her deserve the strongest possible First Amendment protection,” the senators wrote.
Senate co-signers of the amicus brief include Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mike Lee (UT), Steve Daines (R-MT), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Jim Risch (R-ID), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Sasse (R-NE), John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
The brief also has support from 38 members of the House of Representatives.
Source: https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D16C2956-57E4-4EBD-9BAD-A9110573A090
