Supreme Court Delivers Decisive Ruling Upholding Manufacturers’ First Amendment Rights
Washington, D.C. – Today, National Association of Manufacturers Senior Vice President and General Counsel Linda Kelly released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s 6–3 decision in Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta, Attorney General of California in which the NAM filed an amicus brief:
“The Supreme Court has delivered a decisive ruling upholding manufacturers’ First Amendment rights—and the rights of all who support nonprofit organizations. The Manufacturers’ Center for Legal Action was proud to support the effort to challenge a California law that forced nonprofits and charities to disclose donor information and violate donor privacy. While such intrusion and overreach are obviously a concern for manufacturing associations, the law threatened to chill protected First Amendment activity for all types of organizations that are central to our society.
“The seriousness of the constitutional violation was demonstrated by the fact that groups across the ideological spectrum—and of no ideology—voiced their opposition to the overreaching California law. America is at its best when its citizens can participate fully in associations and support charitable endeavors to advance causes in which they believe without sacrificing their privacy or personal information.
“Freedom of speech and association are fundamental to the strength of our country and to the functioning of our government. Nobody should have to fear they will be targeted for expressing an opinion or for joining with others to speak with a collective voice. The MCLA will always step up to defend manufacturers’ constitutional rights, especially the First Amendment rights that are the foundation of associations, whenever they are threatened.”
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The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.3 million men and women, contributes $2.35 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 63% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org