February 21, 2017

Federal Lawsuit to Protect 1st Amendment Rights of Award-Winning Student Artist

Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay, (D) Missouri, filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in Washington DC challenging the removal of a painting by a young constituent that was inspired by the events in Ferguson, MO. The painting had been peacefully displayed at the U.S. Capitol for nearly seven months as a winner of the Congressional Art Competition until Congressional Republicans and right-wing media pressured the Architect of the Capitol to remove it. Congressman Clay asserts that the removal violates both the rights of the young artist and his own First Amendment rights. Pacifica lawyers Kymberly Evanson and Athan Papailiou, along with lawyers from Jenner & Block and Chehardy, Sherman, Williams, are serving as the Congressman’s pro bono legal team. 

To read the full press release, with background information, click here>

To read the court filing, click here>

To see a video of Congressman Clay’s 2/21/17 press briefing, shown on Congressman Clay’s Facebook page, click here>