LIA filed a lawsuit challenging the unconstitutional ordinances the city of Kerrville passed that we believe will cause a chilling effect on our free speech rights protected by the First Amendment.
Both the peddlers/solicitors ordinance and their electioneering ordinance restrict political and religious speech. The city arbitrarily designated that no electioneering could happen for 240 feet from the polling entrance, effectively prohibiting any contact with voters (This is well beyond state law that restricts it to just within the first 100 feet of the poll entrance). Then, the city sent out restrictions as late as was late Friday afternoon telling candidates that tents could only be set-up within a certain zone of the Callioux parking lot (as far away as possible from voters) and that the city would determine where those tents could be set-up within that zone. Then they also announced they’d have all election workers park their cars in front of the tent area, further blocking us from voters.
We are seeking a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) or injunction against various provisions in the city’s ordinances. The judge granted us a hearing today at 1:30 PM. This morning, the city conceded several parts of the ordinance allowing electioneering to take place on sidewalks and within the parking lot (beyond the 100 foot marker) as we used to be able to do. So that’s already a BIG win! However, they still blocked off the driving areas between tent zones with cones prohibiting cars from passing by the tents (when the city’s outside counsel clearly told the judge no one was blocking cars through there).
Even with the city backing down on parts of it, we will continue to move forward with the case on the fundamental First Amendment violations. That part could take anywhere from 1-5 years, but our constitutional rights are worth fighting for and we must prevail in protecting them.
Thank you to all of our supporters.
We’re very grateful for the outpouring of support. We share your frustration with the tyrannical behavior of the city and the tone deaf city council (except Roman Garcia who voted against these ordinances).
Some of you have reached out about Kerrville Forward’s recent email claiming Barbara Ferguson and Roman Garcia are plaintiffs in our lawsuit. That is patently false and anyone can verify that by reading our petition to the court listing the plaintiffs as Terri Hall, Rachel Vickers, and LIA Network. That’s it.
Please spread the word that the Kerrville Forward PAC was started by John Harrison, who had a Biden sign in his yard in 2020, and is trying to tell Republicans how to vote and who the conservatives are. That’d be like Chuck Schumer telling us who the good Republicans are!