American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska filed a suit Monday against the City of Homer.
The suit targets the proposed recall of three Homer City Council members.
The recall stems from a pair of resolutions either introduced or supported by the council members:
- One resolution supported the Standing Rock Tribe in their effort to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.
- The other was a resolution to promote inclusivity, on the heels of President Donald Trump’s election.
However, some locals felt the resolutions were handled improperly.
Recall petitions were issued earlier this year for Donna Aderhold, Catriona Reynolds and David Lewis after certification by the city clerk.
The lawsuit alleges the city is violating the First Amendment rights of the council members.
The ACLU claims the recall petition should never have been certified by the city clerk.
The suit cites a handful of other cases that also deal with public officials speaking on issues in their respective communities.
Casey Reynolds, the ACLU of Alaska’s spokesperson, said the suit was filed now in the hopes that the election, set for June 13, can be canceled.
