Tom Horne Anti-Free Speech Suit Rejected

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Press release from the Felecia Rotellini campaign:

Horne Anti-Free Speech Suit Rejected
Judge throws out attempt by Horne to silence critics   

PHOENIX – Today, another attempted injunction against free speech by Tom Horne was denied by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge.

Judge Linda H. Miles threw out a lawsuit Horne filed against a group that exposed his disturbing record, including votes against student safety in the classroom and tougher statutory rape penalties. This is the second time this election that a judge has shut down Tom Horne’s attempts to stifle his opposition, and mirrors a complaint Horne filed against another group that was also trying to expose the truth about him. Both suits had the same result: dismissal.

Horne sued in a desperate bid to silence the Committee for Justice and Fairness, which has brought to light decisions of Horne’s that show his true character, including allowing a teacher who was fired for viewing pornography in school back into the classroom.  

In her ruling, Judge Miles wrote: “Even assuming, without deciding, that a violation occurred, the remedy sought by Horne is not available.” She went on to write that the Arizona Supreme Court has rejected injunctions against First Amendment rights as an acceptable remedy to the kind of complaint Horne made.

Horne’s outrageous behavior is particularly egregious in light of the fact that he filed the suit knowing it would be rejected, as his other lawsuit was only months before. Instead of explaining his record, Horne instead elected to waste the court’s time and the taxpayers’ money to muzzle free speech.  

“Tom Horne’s pointless and political lawsuit is a perfect example of his attitude toward the law – use it as a weapon when it benefits him, and ignore it when he wants, as evidenced by his decades long pattern of rule breaking,” said Attorney General candidate Felecia Rotellini. “Tom Horne’s abuse of the legal system is exactly why Arizonans cannot trust him as their attorney. This is how we can expect Tom Horne to use his power if he becomes Attorney General: to silence his critics and advance his personal agenda.”

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Press release from the Arizona Democratic Party:

Is Horne too thin-skinned to be top cop?

Republican candidate loses frivolous lawsuit over TV ad

 

PHOENIX – Tom Horne is showing Arizona voters exactly what kind of attorney general he would be. First, he whined about a TV ad about him. Then, he filed a frivolous lawsuit against the ad. And today, he lost in court.

The ad highlighted Horne’s "yes" vote to allow the state Board of Education to reinstate a Queen Creek teacher who had been fired after admitting he looked at pornographic Web sites in the classroom. That's right, Horne voted "yes." [East Valley Tribune, 5/22/06]

But Horne's losing lawsuit wasn't just about suppressing free speech — it was about suppressing facts. Arizona voters, after all, might not want to elect an attorney general who lacks a strong view of law and order and refuses to hold people accountable.

"With something like this on his record, it's no wonder Horne was desperate to stop the TV ad," said Luis Heredia, Arizona Democratic Party executive director. "But Horne went to Harvard Law — he should've learned about the First Amendment a long time ago."

Now that his lawsuit is over, Horne owes it to voters to address the topics in the TV ad. Why is he making excuses for his support of reinstating the high school teacher? The teacher himself admitted to viewing porn in class.

Doesn't a confession count for anything, Mr. Horne? It should, for someone who wants to be Arizona’s top law enforcement officer.

*Learn more about the AZ GOP "Slippery Slate."

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