Stephen Miller, longtime Trump adviser, comes out hard against Florida defamation bill

Tallahassee Democrat

By Doug Soule

February 21, 2024

Longtime Donald Trump adviser Stephen Miller came out swinging Wednesday against Florida legislation that would, among other things, make it easier to launch and win defamation lawsuits.

And he wound up not being alone.

"If Florida passes the proposed law to lower the standard for defamation expect leftist’ plaintiffs lawyers to spend the next generation bankrupting every prominent conservative based in Florida," Miller wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"If you want to go after corporate media then pass a law narrowly tailored at them," he continued. "This law will mean conservative influencers, podcasters and alternative media companies based in Florida are going to get WRECKED solely because they are conservative."

The post came shortly after the House version of the legislation (HB 757) passed its third and final committee on Wednesday morning, setting it up for final approval before the full chamber. The Senate version (SB 1780) has one committee to go.

Gov. Ron DeSantis voiced support for changes to defamation law last year, but such legislation didn't make it through the 2023 session. That legislation, like this year's, faced immense backlash from conservative media officials. His office didn't respond to a media request about the current measure.

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Will Florida Become a 'Libel Tourism Destination' — and Bury Conservative Media?

Hot Air

By Ed Morrisey

February 20, 2024

Florida Republicans want to change defamation laws in the state to hold mainstream-media outlets more accountable for fake news. They might instead write a death warrant for smaller alternative media platforms, especially conservative media, while turning Florida into a "libel tourism destination," one radio host warns.

The axiom Be careful what you wish for applies here, it seems:

Republican state Rep. Alex Andrade of Pensacola has sponsored a bill that will make it easier for Floridians to sue journalists and news organizations for defamation, something that is historically difficult to prove in court.

Trey Radel, political consultant and host at a Fox News Radio affiliate in Florida, has been an outspoken critic of the legislation (HB 757), insisting that since the premise of the bill is to "make it easier to sue the media," it will cut both ways.

"While certain Republicans may think that they're going to be suing and taking on The New York Times and The Washington Post, here's the breaking news: liberal trial lawyers are going to have a field day with center-right media in the state of Florida," Radel told Fox News Digital in an interview.

"Signing this into law will destroy conservative media in this state."

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FARRIS: Florida’s GOP-Backed Defamation Bill Would Backfire On The Little Guy

Daily Caller

By Michael Farris

February 19, 2024

Conservatives have a legitimate concern about media bias — especially as administered by the social media giants. Suppression of conservative voices is well-documented and has even been instigated by the Biden White House and other agencies of this administration.

But conservatives should be the last ones to curtail freedom of speech and or create broad new government powers that tread upon freedom of speech and the press.

Unfortunately, some well-intentioned Florida Republicans are pushing a measure through the state legislature that would dangerously infringe on First Amendment freedoms with features that will be used to badger conservative voices into silence.

The first thing that must be said about HB 757 and SB 1780 is that anyone who thinks that this legislation will effectively favor conservatives in their clash with establishment media is going to be deeply disappointed.

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Florida’s Right to Rock Act would be a double-edged sword. We can live without it | Opinion

Miami Herald

Miami Herald Editorial Board

2/13/2024

The Right to Rock Act advancing in the Florida Legislature aims to address another issue realted to our still-simmering culture wars — a First Amendment question of whether entertainment venues can cancel shows due to an artist’s expressed political views.

Senate Bill 1206 and House Bill 15 would stop venues that are publicly funded or built with public money from breaking performance contracts based on the performer’s lawful exercise of freedom of speech. The act states that an “owner or operator of a public venue may not cancel a live performance of an artist, a performer, or a musical group because of their … personal beliefs.” If there is a cancellation, “venue owners or operators who violate the prohibition bear the costs enumerated in the related contract with the artist, performer, or musical group whose performance was canceled.”

At first blush, the act seems like a way to protect the right of artists from censorship during these polarized, weaponized political times, especially in a presidential election year.

But the implications of the bill are hazy. And more vagueness in legislation is not what Florida needs.

The Florida First Amendment Foundation says the bill is a bad idea. It essentially would give preference to the rights of one party, the artist, by disregarding the rights of another, the venue sponsoring the appearance, Robert “Bobby” Block, the foundation’s executive director, told the Editorial Board.

As Block noted: “This bill is supposed to fight cancel culture, but with another type of cancel culture.”

In other words, Block said, the bill could wind up placing the venue and its First Amendment rights in peril. There are practical concerns, too. What if there are threats of violence, or hate speech, or violence and the venue cannot afford the security? It must go ahead with event — or cancel but still pay the artist. The foundation opposes the bill’s passage. So do we.

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