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Senator Rubio Signs Letter To Protect First Amendment Rights

Apr 27, 2011 | Blog

Earlier this week, Senator Rubio signed on to a letter to protect First Amendment rights of prospective federal contractors. A draft Executive Order from the Obama Administration recently surfaced that would require federal agencies to collect information regarding campaign contributions and other political activity of potential contractors before those agencies award these companies with a contract. This puts politics squarely at the center of every federal contract offer, and will have a chilling effect on the First Amendment rights of individuals to contribute to the political causes or candidates of their choice. No potential contractors will feel free to exercise their First Amendment rights if they fear that this might negatively impact their chances of earning a contract. Where once these contracts were awarded based on merit, this Executive Order would eliminate impartiality and inject politics where it does not belong. Americans should never feel that their livelihoods are threatened by opinions that may run counter to that of the White House.

Senator Rubio signed this letter, urging President Obama’s Administration to reconsider releasing this order, along with 26 other Senators.