Posted on 01/24/2025 12:43:17 PM PST by COSIllinois
At the ACLJ, we are unwavering in our commitment to defending the constitutional liberties that form the bedrock of our nation. Recently, we took a bold step in protecting the First Amendment rights of Ms. Rosanna Pulido, a resident of Springfield, Illinois, who faced outrageous restrictions on her freedom of expression at a city council meeting.
The Case: A Nonsense T-Shirt Ban On October 29, 2024, Ms. Pulido attended a Springfield City Council meeting wearing a “Chicanos for Trump” T-shirt. Despite her peaceful and orderly participation, she was singled out by a Springfield alderwoman, who cited a policy against “campaign materials” in the council chambers. Ms. Pulido was forced to either turn her shirt inside out or cover the message, despite no prior notice of such a rule and no legal basis for this restriction. Such an order was egregious – especially right before an election, when our political voices matter the most.
The Problem? First, this rule is nowhere to be found in writing. Ms. Pulido wrote to the city council and the city’s attorney, asking what law was being enforced, and received no reply. Second, the rule is completely unconstitutional: Citizens can wear campaign T-shirts in public places.
The right to free speech, especially political speech, is a cornerstone of our democracy. The Supreme Court has consistently upheld that restrictions on speech in public forums must meet strict scrutiny. In this case, the Springfield City Council’s actions were not only unjust but also lacked any legal foundation. By standing up for Ms. Pulido, we are defending the broader principle that all citizens have the right to express their views without undue interference.
(Excerpt) Read more at aclj.org ...
She takes off her shirt, and then reveals: “Vote Twice”.
Oh, your funny.
His funny what?
There are simply not enough lawsuits for violation of rights under color of law.
The perp:
Lakeisha Purchase violated IDOT policy, report says
Ward 5 alderperson citied for ‘abusing’ state time through personal phone calls, political work
By Dean Olsen
Lakeisha Purchase violated IDOT policy, report says
Lakeisha Purchase took part in phone calls unrelated to her job at the Illinois Department of Transportation for almost half of the time she was supposed to be working during an 18-month period in 2021 and 2022, a state report says.
Purchase, 35, the Springfield Ward 5 alderperson since September 2021, quit her job as an IDOT supportive services specialist on July 5, 2023, after 14 years with the department.
The 20-page report, made public in late May, recommended that Purchase be disciplined “up to and including discharge.”
But Purchase, who was interviewed by state investigators in September 2022, resigned from her $72,000-a-year state job six months before IDOT received the report from the executive inspector general for the agencies of the Illinois governor.
IDOT spokesperson Paul Wappel wouldn’t comment on whether the agency would seek reimbursement from Purchase or pursue criminal charges.
Wappel emailed a statement that said: “Through policy and repeated trainings, the Illinois Department of Transportation reinforces for employees that they will be held to the highest standards to ensure they are performing their state responsibilities on state time. The department takes appropriate action to address violations. We appreciate the recommendations in the report and the opportunity to remind our employees of the rules and responsibilities while working at IDOT.”
The OIG report said there is “reasonable cause to believe that Ms. Purchase violated IDOT policy by performing outside employment, including, at minimum, attending meetings and participating in phone calls related to her alderwoman and Capital Township trustee duties, during state time.”
The report said Purchase was mostly working for IDOT remotely when OIG received its first complaint in late October 2021 that she may be performing her aldermanic duties on state time.
In addition to “abusing state time,” the report said Purchase conducted “prohibited political activity, at a minimum by making and receiving phone calls and sending texts” when she was volunteering as an uncompensated central Illinois coordinator for Democrat Anna Valencia’s unsuccessful 2022 campaign for Illinois secretary of state. . .
The OIG report said Purchase also violated IDOT policy by failing to properly report all of her outside employment to IDOT, including her work as a Capital Township trustee, her work as owner of Kashmir DST LLC, a residential real estate development and management company, and her activities when she was owner, sales director and had assets or earned income from properties – all associated with a company called Precision 1-on-1 Properties.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=834735582134976&set=a.439659614975910&type=3
Black Lives Matter SPI
Join us, along with, Ward 2 Ald.Shawn Gregory, Ward 5 Alderwoman Lakeisha k Purchase & Dominic Watson of The Springfield Project at CAP 1908 & The Springfield Black Chamber of Commerce - IL in celebration of #BlackBusinessMonth & local Black owned businesses. Join us for dinner and conversation at 6:00pm at Traveler’s Kitchen, one of our cities great Black owned restaurants, TONIGHT, August 19th.
All meals individually paid for.
FB Event: https://facebook.com/events/s/bl… See more
NO, Actually it was Alderwoman ERIN CONLY who targeted this woman! https://erinforward8.com/about-erin/
Good find. Another crooked Illinois female racist politician.
Conley initiated it and Purchase implemented it: https://www.youtube.com/live/FbaYG4AYCOc?t=12775s
At all.
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