Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

July 2020 – Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed suit in July 2019 against the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan, on behalf of Grant Strobl and Jacob Chludzinski, owners of ThinkRight Strategies, a political consulting firm. A city ordinance would have forced ThinkRight to create materials advocating liberal political candidates and causes such as abortion and socialism.

The city also would prohibit the plaintiffs from publicly stating their conservative political positions. Touted as an “anti-discrimination” ordinance, the law includes penalties of up to $500 for each day a violation occurs.

“The First Amendment protects people’s freedom to choose what to say and what to endorse,” said ADF senior counsel Jonathan Scruggs.

ADF announced that in September, the city of Ann Arbor and the plaintiffs agreed to a settlement and ended the suit. ThinkRight may now choose only causes and political clients whose messages agree with those of its owners.

adfmedia.org, 7/30/19; onenewsnow, 7/31/19;
adflegal.org, 9/5/19