Senate rejects elections bill that flew in the face of First Amendment
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Zack Pruitt regarding the failure of the “For the People Act” to pass the U.S. Senate Tuesday. The bill was designed to expand the definition of “political speech” and would have dramatically altered the First Amendment speech and association protections that American citizens have enjoyed since the founding of our country:
“Despite contending to be ‘for the people,’ this bill would have imposed unworkable and invasive regulations on the ability of Americans and groups of citizens to discuss vital policy issues with elected officials or the public. It would have intruded upon the private financial decisions made by everyday citizens, subjecting them to harassment and intimidation simply for giving to causes they care about. The U.S. Supreme Court has made clear that ‘the people lose when the government is the one deciding which ideas should prevail,’ so it is good that this legislation failed to pass the Senate. We commend the senators who took a stand for the First Amendment by rejecting this misleading and deeply flawed bill, and we hope the Senate will continue to reject any similar measures that trample on the free speech and free association rights of Americans.”
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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ABOUT Zack Pruitt
Zack Pruitt serves as senior counsel and director of U.S. government relations at Alliance Defending Freedom. In this role, he promotes ADF's policy and legislative work at the national level on behalf of the broader ADF legislative advocacy team. As a principal strategist, Pruitt oversees the federal and state government relations teams and provides legal counsel regarding ADF’s core issues to state officials, members and staff of the U.S. Congress, the White House, and federal agencies. Prior to joining ADF, Pruitt served as senior policy analyst at Americans for Prosperity and director of public policy for the Family Action Council of Tennessee. Pruitt earned his Juris Doctor with a certificate in International and Comparative Law from St. Louis University School of Law. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is member of the state bar in Tennessee and the District of Columbia and is also admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court.