“If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter.” ~George Washington

Maryland State Legislators are looking to take away one of the most important freedoms we cherish as Americans - free speech.

Your right to free speech is a cornerstone principle of liberty. America’s founding fathers understood this and protected this right in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights.

A dangerous anti-free speech bill has passed the House, been heard in a State Senate committee, and is pending a vote!

If passed, citizens and the grassroots organizations they support will be silenced, while sitting politicians and their cronies will continue in their current pattern unabated.

In fact, merely exposing the anti-liberty voting record of a legislator would become a crime without government “permission.” The onerous requirements needed to get their stamp of approval would curtail the grassroots’ ability to hold legislators accountable for their unconstitutional positions.

Please sign the petition demanding your legislators not proceed with any legislation that would curb your free speech or release your private information, and demand that they vote against any bill that would gag your First Amendment rights.

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Whereas: The right to free speech – including political speech – is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights; and

Whereas: Any so-called “ethics reform” bill designed to release private donor or supporter information infringes on the First Amendment rights of Maryland citizens and the grassroots’ organizations they support, in direct violation of our Constitutionally protected rights; and

Whereas:  Any so-called “ethics reform” bill designed to gag political speech will protect legislators from having their voting records revealed to the people they represent and allow them to hide their true positions on crucial legislation.

Therefore: I demand Maryland State Legislators halt any further action on planned legislation that would gag political speech, vote "NO" on HB 898, and actively oppose and vote “NO” on any such legislation in the future.