Federal judge strikes down Iowa law on undercover ag workers
Source: Associated Press
By DAVID PITT
27 minutes ago
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A federal judge on Wednesday struck down an Iowa law that made it illegal to get a job at a livestock farm to conduct an animal cruelty undercover investigation, finding the law violated the constitutional right to free speech.
U.S. District Court Judge James Gritzner sided with opponents of the 2012 law that was intended to stop organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals from doing animal abuse investigations at farms and puppy mills. Iowa lawmakers approved the measure, which threatened up to a year in jail to those who conducted an undercover operation, after several high-profile cases in which animal welfare advocates recorded questionable animal treatment and then publicized the images through the media.
Rita Bettis Austen, legal director for the ACLU of Iowa, called the ruling an important victory for free speech and argued the so-called ag-gag law was an example of government using its power to protect those with power. The ACLU joined with animal welfare, food safety and open government advocates in the lawsuit, filed in 2017 in U.S. District Court in Des Moines.
Ag gag clearly is a violation of Iowans First Amendment rights to free speech, Bettis said in a statement. It has effectively silenced advocates and ensured that animal cruelty, unsafe food safety practices, environmental hazards, and inhumane working conditions go unreported for years.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/baf3b2fa1dae4f518e8e79df32a4bec5
malerider
(2 posts)Remember when the GOP went after Obama when they would say it is always his way or the highway. Shoe is now on the other foot.
The Dem should give the man-child in chief what he said in the campaign. Pass a bill for any money Mexico give's to the USA
specifically for the border wall will not have to be appropriated and can be used for his wall up to a certain amount but not more then the first amount he said it would cost.
yonder
(9,659 posts)I remember being disgusted when that law went into effect. It was nothing but a license to torture animals. Factory farms are horrific and need to be busted and shamed.
JudyM
(29,206 posts)yonder
(9,659 posts)with an Ag-gag law after photos were published exposing animal cruelty practices at a southern Idaho dairy. It was on the books for a year or so before also being found unconstitutional. I believe there may be a few other states with similar legislation rendered void.
TomSlick
(11,092 posts)Of course, I have no room to complain. The Arkansas Legislature often passes unconstitutional bills. Many of the others are simply indecipherable.
Major Nikon
(36,818 posts)But its worth saying fuck their fascist shit.