Atheist free-speech suit against official allowed to proceed

LITTLE ROCK — Members of an atheist group have a "fair chance of prevailing" in their lawsuit against an Arkansas state senator whom they accuse of violating their free speech rights by blocking them from leaving comments on his work-related Facebook and Twitter posts, a judge ruled.

U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker on Monday allowed the American Atheists group's lawsuit against Republican state Sen. Jason Rapert to proceed to trial, though she denied the group's request to issue an injunction that would have forced Rapert to immediately unblock the group, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.

"Rapert has repeatedly called our lawsuit against him 'frivolous.' (The) decision should put an end to that ridiculous claim," said Geoffrey Blackwell, the attorney for the atheist group. "The Arkansans Rapert has blocked will get their day in court, and we have every confidence we'll prevail."

The plaintiffs argue that as an elected official, Rapert's posts are a public forum that should be accessible to them.

Read more: http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/arkansas/story/2019/oct/02/atheist-free-speech-suit-against-official-allowed-proceed/797742/