As reported here, [a] unanimous state Supreme Court ruled Thursday that two radio talk-show hosts who used airtime to support a gas-tax rollback initiative they launched were not required to report their commentary as an in-kind political contribution.
The court also reinstated a countersuit filed by the No New Gas Tax campaign against the local governments that initially sued: San Juan County and the cities of Auburn, Kent and Seattle.
"This is a victory for free speech and a free press in Washington state," said William Maurer, executive director of the Institute for Justice Washington chapter, who argued the case before the high court.
The ruling overturns a 2005 ruling by Thurston County Superior Court Judge Chris Wickham that talk-show hosts John Carlson and Kirby Wilbur at Seattle radio station KVI-AM/570 were key organizers and promoters of Initiative 912. The ballot measure was aimed at heading off a four-step, 9.5-cent-a-gallon increase in the state gasoline tax.
The judge said the airtime amounted to an in-kind contribution to the campaign and required that the value be reported to the state Public Disclosure Commission.
State law says editorials, commentaries and other types of news reports are not considered contributions.
Wilbur, Carlson and the station argued their role with the initiative was within the normal bounds of radio fare, and the high court agreed.
The Washington State Supreme Court did the right thing by overturning the over reaching, blatant attempt to stifle political free speech by Wickham and the municipalities. Not only did they overturn it, they did it unanimously. This is a very welcome development in this case, which I previously posted about here and here.
2 comments:
That was welcome news, though I am sure the Democrats will continue to work to criminalize free speech they do not like.
I agree.
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