[1]Alex Padilla for Senate

Friends, I’m worried.

Free speech in America is under attack.

We have an attorney general who is vowing to prosecute Americans for “hate speech” — a determination that she alone will make.

We have a president in Donald Trump who threatens reporters for asking questions he doesn’t like, and who personally sued the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal because they published stories he’d rather keep hidden.

And then of course, there’s what’s happened to Jimmy Kimmel’s show on ABC.

Jimmy Kimmel dared to make fun of Donald Trump. So the FCC chairman leaned on ABC, threatening their license and saying “we can do this the easy way or the hard way.” ABC caved and took his show off the air. It was only after Americans spoke up and pressured the network that they reconsidered.

Friend, it’s clear that Trump and his administration do not respect the first amendment and will trample all over it at every opportunity.

That’s why I’m working on new legislation with some of my colleagues in the Senate — the No Political Enemies Act (NOPE Act).

The NOPE Act would reaffirm the constitutionally protected right to free speech, establish clear and enforceable protections for that speech, and stop the use of federal funds for any kind of investigations or regulatory action that suppresses protected speech.

With top Trump Administration officials promising to weaponize the federal government against left-leaning individuals and groups that don’t align with Trump’s agenda, it is more critical than ever to enshrine and reinforce these protections.

I want to be clear: this bill isn’t about Jimmy Kimmel. It’s not about one comedian or person or network, it is about whether we as Americans still have the right to laugh at those in power — it’s about freedom of speech and stopping the Trump Administration from trampling on the First Amendment.

Friends, if you believe that freedom of speech is worth protecting, please add your name here to say you support the NOPE Act. I am hoping for lots of people to sign on today so I can show my colleagues in the Senate that the American people overwhelmingly support these protections.

SIGN ON:[link removed]

Thank you for signing on, and for standing up for American values. It means a lot to know you’re with me on this, particularly right now.

- Alex
 


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