FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2021
Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org
FOIA Requests Submitted to Livingston Sheriff, Prosecutor Offices
Charges filed for tweets could be major First Amendment infringement
LANSING – Today, Progress Michigan filed Freedom of Information Act requests with the Livingston County Sheriff and Prosecutor’s office seeking communications regarding highly-questionable charges filed against a Howell woman who highlighted anti-mask and anti-vax extremism that occurred at public meetings. The FOIA requests ask for communications in both offices leading up to and regarding the charges.
“Based on what we know, we are very concerned these charges represent a direct attack on the people’s right to free speech. We believe the public has a right to know what prompted these charges because as far as we know, tweeting about public information is not a crime,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “We want law enforcement in Livingston County to know that Progress Michigan and a lot of other folks across Michigan are paying attention to this and won’t stand by while our constitutional rights are trampled on, nor will we watch idly as law enforcement uses underhanded tactics to intimidate and silence those they disagree with.”
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