First Amendment Foundation

Save the date.

On Wednesday, October 7, join the First Amendment Foundation for an unforgettable evening with Pulitzer Prize Special Citation recipient Julie K. Brown, the investigative journalist whose reporting exposed Jeffrey Epstein’s network of abuse and helped reopen one of the nation’s most consequential criminal cases.

In conversation with Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell, Brown will take audiences behind one of the most impactful investigations of our time, sharing the reporting, persistence, and pursuit of truth that helped hold powerful people accountable.

Whether you’re passionate about investigative journalism, government transparency, the First Amendment, or simply want to hear firsthand how one story changed the course of history, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Tickets go on sale July 13.

Wednesday, October 7
Winter Park Events Center

Visit: www.floridafaf.org

Friends,

I am proud to let you know that we've launched a GoFundMe campaign to support what may become one of the most significant constitutional fights in the history of the First Amendment Foundation.

The campaign is now live on our website, and you can access it through the campaign here: https://gofund.me/32a19b768

Please — and I mean please — share it with your friends, family, and social media networks. This is a major moment for the Foundation, and public awareness matters.

As many of you know, Florida’s new domestic terrorism law goes into effect in July. Throughout the legislative session, we repeatedly warned lawmakers that this bill raised profound constitutional concerns. We were not alone. Civil rights organizations, student groups, religious organizations, and legal scholars raised similar alarms. Those warnings were ignored.

The core problem remains deeply troubling: the law creates a framework that allows the state to designate groups as “domestic terrorist organizations” outside of a courtroom and outside traditional due process protections. It opens the door to punishing association, speech, and support in ways that raise serious First Amendment and due process concerns.

If someone commits a crime, prosecute them. We already have laws to address criminal conduct and material support for violent acts. What we should not tolerate is government creating vague and expansive powers that can be weaponized against lawful speech, association, and dissent.

That is why we are preparing to fight.

This is new territory for us. We have never initiated a lawsuit—let alone launched a public crowdfunding campaign tied to anticipated litigation. We do not take that lightly. But this moment demands it. The stakes are too high to sit on the sidelines and hope someone else steps forward.

The First Amendment Foundation has spent decades defending Floridians’ rights to know, speak, and hold their government accountable. This fight goes directly to the heart of that mission—both because of the sweeping speech implications of this law and because the legislation also contained a public records exemption, casting the labeling process into darkness.

If the government can secretly label people or organizations based on ideology or association and impose severe consequences without meaningful constitutional safeguards, that should concern every Floridian, regardless of politics.

This effort may bring criticism. It may create challenges. But difficult fights are often the ones most worth having.

This issue is exactly why organizations like ours exist.

Our campaign explains—and will continue to explain in the weeks ahead—the legal issues in plain English. We are asking the public to help us build the resources necessary for what could be a difficult and lengthy legal battle.

Let’s be clear: We expect criticism. We expect misunderstanding. We are also braced for possible retaliation from the state. But we also believe there are people across the political spectrum who understand how dangerous unchecked government power can be.

There are moments when defending constitutional rights is comfortable and broadly popular. This is unlikely to be one of those moments. But history tends to judge harshly those who remained silent when fundamental freedoms were placed at risk.

We intend to meet this moment with clarity, courage, and resolve.

Please lend us your support. Donate whatever you can to help us protect your freedom. Thank you.

Best,
Bobby, FAF Executive Director