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A proposed Connecticut law banning political “robo calls” (in which one hears a recorded message from an office-seeker) would run afoul of the First Amendment’s protection of free speech, the ACLU told a General Assembly committee The proposed law would “diminish the exercise of rights crucial to our democratic process,” said Executive Director Andrew Schneider. “The existing Do Not Call registry exempts political calls and calls for charitable contributions,” he told the committee, because those calls “involve speech that receive a higher degree of protection under the First Amendment.” Among other defects, he said, the proposed new law would ban political robo calls but not those for example promoting the environment or opposing abortion. Such “content-based” differentiation, he warned, have been viewed unfavorably by the courts. Even content-neutral restrictions have fared badly in court, he noted, by “reducing the free flow of ideas.” Automated calls, Schneider said, are often annoying, but “the First Amendment, if it stands for anything, is for the protection of speech we find unpopular, offensive or even annoying.” Read more: “Testimony robo calls” Support our work: Click on DONATE in the upper right-hand corner. We need and appreciate your help!
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