Americans’ right to speak their minds is considered sacred, which is why we must fight to protect the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Texas Citizens Participation Act. Both measures were carefully written with protection of the individual – the “little guy” – in mind. They’re designed to give a David a fighting chance if he finds himself in a legal duel with a Goliath.
Unfortunately, the Texas Citizens Participation Act is under attack once again. The Legislature is being lobbied fiercely by well-heeled business interests and law firms who want the law either repealed or gutted. On Wednesday the Texas House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence will conduct a hearing to consider whether to gut the TCPA or stand up for a good law that’s been giving David a fair shot since legislators passed it 13 years ago.
It appears that Committee Chairman Jeff Leach, R-Plano, who has taken aim at the TCPA over the last several legislative sessions, wants to make sure Goliath’s side gets multiple shots at David. The panel of witnesses Leach invited to testify at his Wednesday hearing includes three witnesses from business and legal interests who have been opposed to the TCPA and one lonely First Amendment attorney.
