Home>Articles>Part 3 of 7: First Amendment Under Fire, Nevada’s Attack on Free Speech

Part 3 of 7: First Amendment Under Fire, Nevada’s Attack on Free Speech

By TheNevadaGlobeStaff, July 12, 2025 6:00 am

This is Part 3 of our seven-part series, Nevada’s Witch Hunt: How Six Patriots Are Being Crucified for Defending Democracy. We’ve already unpacked the 1960 Hawaii precedent and the electors’ lack of criminal intent. Now, let’s shine a spotlight on how Nevada’s Attorney General Aaron Ford is shredding the First Amendment to punish six patriots for daring to question the 2020 election. This isn’t just a prosecution; it’s a constitutional travesty.

Picture the electors in Carson City, signing their names to contingent Trump votes. They’re not forging checks or faking IDs; they’re making a political statement, challenging a certified result they believed was flawed. Their certificates, sent to Congress, were symbolic, ignored by the Electoral College. Yet Ford, with his eyes on the governor’s mansion, brands this as felony forgery. If this doesn’t scream “chilling free speech,” nothing does.

Legal Argument for Dismissal: First Amendment Protection: The electors’ actions were textbook political expression, protected by the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has long guarded controversial speech, from burning flags to funding campaigns (Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444; Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1). Submitting alternate certificates is petitioning the government, a core right. The electors were voicing dissent, not defrauding anyone. Ford’s charges turn political advocacy into a crime, a dangerous precedent that could silence any challenger to election orthodoxy. Imagine the chaos if every protest vote landed you in court.

Ford’s case hinges on misapplying forgery laws to a non-deceptive act. The electors’ transparency, their reliance on legal advice, screams “we’re not hiding anything.” Meanwhile, Ford’s Clark County filing, tossed for improper venue, and his Carson City refiling, timed with his 2026 campaign launch, reek of partisan gamesmanship. These six Nevadans, buried under legal fees, are collateral damage in Ford’s ambition.

Part 4 dives into Ford’s venue-shopping shenanigans, exposing prosecutorial misconduct that’ll make your blood boil. Don’t miss it.

————————————————————————————

Speak Up, Nevada! What’s on Your Mind? Send us your opinion!

Got the inside scoop on something happening in Nevada? Or the country? Do you have thoughts about life in Nevada that are too good to keep to yourself? Whether it’s a hot take on our politics, crime, education, or even the secret to surviving our summers, we’re all ears! Swing them our way at editor@thenevadaglobe.com. Come on, give us the scoop on what makes Nevada tick—or what ticks you off. Let’s make some noise and have some fun with it!

Spread the news:

 RELATED ARTICLES

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *