April Tele-town Hall: Political Gerrymandering and Compelled Speech on the Docket

In this episode, Dr. Eastman is joined by David W. Casazza, a 2015 Claremont Institute John Marshall Fellow. Casazza is an associate with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he is a member of the Litigation Department and focuses on appellate and administrative law. Dr. Eastman is also joined by Denise Harle, who serves as legal counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where she is a member of the Center for Life.

Up first, they discuss Benisek v. Lamone, a Maryland partisan gerrymandering case before the Supreme Court this term. The case questions whether state officials responsible for Maryland’s 2011 congressional redistricting plan targeted the plaintiffs for vote dilution, because of their past support for Republican candidates in violation of the First Amendment’s retaliation doctrine. This case was argued on March 28, 2018.

Next, they discuss NIFLA v. Becerra, a First Amendment case before the Court this term. The case involves a California law that compels religious, pro-life entities to disseminate information about low-cost planning services—abortion included—to “ensure access to reproductive health services for all California women, regardless of income.” This case was argued on March 20, 2018, by Mike Farris, President of the Alliance Defending Freedom. Harle was a key part of ADF’s litigation team, which also included Dr. Eastman and the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence as co-counsel.

Dr. Eastman is the Henry Salvatori Professor of Law & Community Service at Chapman University Fowler School of Law. He served as a law clerk with Justice Clarence Thomas in 1996-97.