Update 8/15/2024: After Colorado State Capitol officials kicked Jeff Hunt out of the senate public gallery for wearing a “Pro-Life U Colorado Christian University” sweatshirt in March, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) demanded that Capitol officials stop policing people’s clothing. Facing a potential First Amendment lawsuit, readers of the House and Senate have agreed to rescind the Capitol galleries’ unconstitutional ban on pins and apparel “expressing political statements.”
According to a press release from FIRE, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought, as of Tuesday, the language barring political apparel has been removed from the Capitol website and gallery signs.
“I am thrilled at this outcome. Now, Coloradans are free to share their voices, particularly at the state Capitol, where the work of the people takes place.”
7/17/2024: The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), an organization that defends fundamental rights on college campuses, is threatening to file a lawsuit against Colorado government officials for allegedly violating the rights of a teacher.
Jeffrey Hunt, former vice president of public policy at the Lakewood-based Colorado Christian University, said he was given an ultimatum in the Senate gallery for wearing a “Pro-Life U Colorado Christian University” sweatshirt back in March. Hunt explained that while he was at the State Capitol for Pregnancy Resource Center Day on March 21, he was confronted by Sergeant-at-Arms Ben Trujillo, who told Hunt that “Pro-Life U” is a “political statement” prohibited by a gallery rule.
Trujillo and Chief Sergeant-at-Arms Frank Lombardi allegedly gave Hunt the choice of removing the sweatshirt or leaving. Hunt chose to leave.
In 2023, Colorado Christian University officially filed the phrase, “Pro-Life U” with the Secretary of State, and “submitted it as a federally registered trademark (pending).” The university sells merchandise featuring the phrase on its online campus store.
“I was shocked when I was asked to leave the senate gallery simply for wearing a pro-life sweatshirt,” said Hunt. “I felt like I was being targeted for expressing my American right to free speech. My goal with this case is to make sure this type of censorship doesn’t happen to anyone else, especially in the heart of our state’s democracy.”
READ: Lawsuit filed against Smithsonian for allegedly harassing, kicking out pro-life students
Hunt was at the state capitol with a group that was silently opposing three bills proposed at the state legislature that were created to expand abortion access and target pro-life pregnancy resource centers. In April, those three bills were signed by Gov. Jared Polis.
Today, FIRE announced it sent a letter to Stephen Rosenthal, house chief sergeant-in-arms, demanding that “the Colorado House and Senate Sergeants-At-Arms refrain from enforcing the ban on pins and apparel ‘expressing political statements’ in the public galleries of their respective chambers.” FIRE argued that the “rule violates the First Amendment rights of Coloradans, including our client Jeffrey Hunt, who wish to engage in silent, nondisruptive political expression through pins and apparel.”
In contrast, FIRE claims that just weeks prior to Hunt’s encounter at the State Capitol, sergeants-at-arms allowed a group of students to sit in the Senate gallery wearing pro-gun-control shirts.
“Officials can’t kick you out of public galleries just because they don’t like the message on your shirt,” said FIRE attorney Raul Ruiz. “We look forward to vindicating Hunt’s rights, and the rights of every American, regardless of their opinions.”
If FIRE does not receive a response by July 30, it will file the lawsuit.
Editor’s Note 7/17/2024: A previous version of this article included an incorrect name for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. We regret the error.
