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On March 1, 2022, Mike Brown, who was peacefully exercising his First Amendment right, was violently removed from a Senate Committee meeting after being confronted by state officials about a sticker he was wearing. Mr. McCay didn’t like Mike’s sticker, which read “Yes on HB60.” Despite Brown removing the sticker he was physically accosted, handcuffed, carried down multiple flights of stairs, and locked in a basement room for an hour.

This incident raises fundamental concerns about the safety of free speech for Utah citizens when interacting with state officials. While one might expect such actions to be addressed if they occurred at a city council or county commission meeting, this type of conduct appears to be protected at the state level, where legal immunity may be granted to officials in the course of performing their duties.

Mike Brown currently has a case before the federal district court, 1:22-cv-00091-RJS-CMR, and the court has made a controversial ruling that allows Utah state legislators significant latitude in actions taken under the guise of their official duties. According to the ruling, Utah state officials—including legislators—are exempt from First Amendment violations in certain circumstances, meaning they can engage in actions that infringe on citizens' constitutional rights, such as freedom of speech or religious expression, without facing legal repercussions. They have absolute immunity even if they violate your constitutional rights. However, this same immunity does not apply to the Cities and Counties in the state of Utah, and if the same actions were taken by a County Commissioner or a City Councilmember, the individual would be able to sue them pursuant to 42 U.S. Code § 1983 and hold them accountable for their constitutional violations. But the State of Utah is immune from such constitutional violations and can violate them with impunity. This ruling could establish a dangerous precedent for individual freedoms in Utah, as it raises questions about the balance between government authority and constitutional rights.

The complaint in the case can be read here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:406b3997-93b5-4f14-8584-38c74cf23fce

The ruling of the court can be read here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:58917493-82f9-402c-a110-9160c661d1c7

Mike Brown's case is not an isolated one. If an elected state official can disregard the First Amendment without consequence, any citizen could face similar mistreatment for voicing their opinions or exercising their rights.

As President Donald Trump stated, “If we don’t have free speech, then we don’t have a free country.” This press conference aims to remind Utah’s lawmakers of the importance of protecting the basic rights of all individuals and calls for the end of legal immunity for First Amendment violations in the state.

Any amount to help with Mike's legal costs would be very appreciated.