'Trampling of 1st Amendment rights': GOP lawmaker calls police on man over anti-Trump hat

08 May

Image: Ron Adar / Shutterstock

One Republican state legislator in Wisconsin recently interrupted a committee hearing in order to remove a man from the room over an article of clothing.

The National News Desk (TNND) reported Thursday that Wisconsin State Assembly member Ron Tusler (R) called a hearing of the Assembly Judiciary Committee into recess after one witness who was in line to testify on legislation was seen wearing a hat that read "F--- Trump Viva Mexico." Democratic Assembly member Ryan Clancy confirmed in a social media post that Tusler asked Wisconsin Capitol Police to remove the man from the hearing.

“In response to wearing a hat that he found ‘offensive,’ Rep. Ron Tusler just called the police to have a someone removed rather than hearing his testimony,” Clancy wrote. “Rep Tusler called a recess and left, and so did the Capitol Police when they showed up. The next item, appropriately, also deals with the trampling of first amendment rights.”

Even police officers were hesitant to act on Tusler's request given that the man Tusler wanted escorted out was sitting quietly at the witness table, with one reportedly saying: "Can anyone tell me why we were called?"

Assemblywoman Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, who is the ranking member of the committee, accused Tusler of creating even more of a disturbance than the man who was wearing the controversial hat.

"The only disruption I have seen is you coming here when we could have continued with the testimony of this gentleman, it would have been less disruptive," Ortiz-Velez said.

Ortiz-Velez later told TNND that she "also believe[s] that the hat is protected by the First Amendment of our Constitution." And Article 1, Section 3 of the Wisconsin state constitution reads: "The right of the people peaceably to assemble, to consult for the common good, and to petition the government, or any department thereof, shall never be abridged."

Click here to read TNND's full report.

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