Description: The Babylon Bee, a satire website, and a California attorney are suing the state of California after it passed two laws that censor online content, including political satire and parody.
Free to meme: Court finds California’s political censorship laws unconstitutional
ADF attorneys represent The Babylon Bee, Kelly Chang Rickert, Rumble in cases challenging two state laws that restrict online political speech
Friday, Aug 29, 2025
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A federal district court ruled Friday that two California laws that censor online political speech are unconstitutional. In two separate lawsuits, The Babylon Bee v. Bonta and Rumble v. Bonta, Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represent satire website The Babylon Bee, California attorney and blogger Kelly Chang Rickert, and Rumble, operator of a large video-sharing platform that hosts a variety of content, including political commentary.
The two laws challenged in the lawsuits are AB 2839, which targets and punishes speakers for engaging in certain political commentary, including posting satirical memes and parodies of politicians, and AB 2655, which requires large online platforms to act as the government’s censor and remove certain political commentary from their sites. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California found both laws to be unconstitutional.
“Making fun of politicians and criticizing the government is a core First Amendment right. That includes using new technology to create parody campaign ads or satirical memes,” said ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse, who argued before the court. “The court was right to rein in California’s blatant censorship. We can’t trust the government to decide what is true in our online political debates.”
“Our job is hard enough when our jokes keep coming true, as if they were prophecies,” said The Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon. “But it becomes significantly more difficult when self-serving politicians abuse their power to try to control public discourse and clamp down on comedy. We’re pleased the court recognized the First Amendment secures our right to tell jokes, even ones the government doesn’t like.”
“My personal blog and social media accounts don’t need Governor Newsom’s stamp of approval,” added Rickert. “This attempt to silence humor and other content that appeals to me and my audience was a blatant misuse of power to silence dissent.”
“It is alarming to think that government officials could decide which political speech is permitted, silenced, or erased altogether,” said Rumble CEO and Founder Chris Pavlovski. “At Rumble, we are unwavering in our commitment to free expression and creative freedom, which is why we’re proud to join with ADF in defending the fundamental right to speak openly online.”
“When it comes to political expression, the antidote is not prematurely stifling content creation and singling out specific speakers but encouraging counter speech, rigorous fact-checking, and the uninhibited flow of democratic discourse,” the court wrote in its opinion.
Brian R. Chavez-Ochoa of Chavez-Ochoa Law Offices, one of more than 5,000 attorneys in the ADF Attorney Network, is serving as local counsel for The Babylon Bee, Rickert, and Rumble.
- Pronunciation guide: Widmalm-Delphonse (VEED’-malm Del-FONS’)
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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