Crow Introduces New Legislative Effort to Protect Free Speech, Stop Trump’s Politically-Motivated Prosecution of Critics

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) announced his intent to introduce the No Political Enemies (NOPE) Act, new legislation to protect individuals and organizations– including non-profits, faith groups, media outlets, and educational institutions–from politically motivated harassment and prosecution by the federal government. 

Image

This bill reaffirms the constitutionally protected right to free speech and establishes clear and 

enforceable protections to deter abuse, empower individuals and organizations to defend themselves, and create meaningful accountability. The legislation would also prohibit the use of federal funds for any investigations or regulatory action that would suppress protected speech. 

“After national tragedies, past presidents have worked to heal and bring the nation together. But Donald Trump is attempting to use this moment to seize power and go after his political opponents. I went to war three times for this country to defend the free speech rights of Americans, including those who I may disagree with, because that is who we are as Americans. Right now, we are facing an unprecedented assault on free speech. I won’t remain silent as the President and his administration try to silence dissent,” said Congressman Crow.

The announcement follows threats from President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and White House Senior Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to use the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk as justification to weaponize the federal government to go after left-leaning individuals and organizations that do not align with Trump’s political agenda.

Congressman Crow introduced the House version of the bill. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced the bill in the U.S. Senate.

“Since taking office, President Trump has engaged in a relentless campaign to silence dissent in this country. Targeting Democratic elected officials for prosecution, violating appropriations law to browbeat colleges and universities, and restricting access for journalists was just the start of this broad effort to weaponize the federal government to consolidate power and go after his perceived political enemies. Now, the president and the loyalists he’s installed at DOJ and the FBI have announced plans to exploit the horrific death of Charlie Kirk and use it as a pretext to intimidate and destroy any political opposition to Trump – it’s a page taken right out of the totalitarian playbook. This White House has proven time and time again that it’s willing to trample on the rights of Americans in service of Donald Trump’s agenda and Congress has an obligation to protect the American people and our democracy,” said Senator Murphy.

“The Trump Administration is attacking free speech – threatening anyone who dares to speak out against them. This politically motivated weaponization of government clearly defies the First Amendment and demands action from the Congress. This legislation will help provide additional safeguards to protect Americans’ free speech rights from a lawless administration,” said Senator Van Hollen.

Watch Congressman Crow’s press conference announcing the new legislation HERE. A one-pager regarding the bill can be viewed HERE.

The NOPE Act would specifically prevent the targeting of individuals or organizations on the basis of their constitutionally protected speech, beliefs, and political participation by:

• Reaffirming our Constitution and laws prohibit the president from weaponizing government against people who disagree with the administration. Uphold foundational constitutional principles that protect free speech and political participation. The DOJ, FBI, IRS, and other government agencies cannot be used to silence or target people for criticizing the government with constitutionally protected speech.
• Deterring government officials from abusing their power to silence or retaliate against critics. Deter misconduct by making clear there are consequences for violating federal civil rights laws and that federal officials can be held accountable for abuses.
• Providing tools for those wrongly targeted to defend themselves in court, including meaningful access to evidence, correcting the imbalance of proof, having the legal costs to defend themselves covered, and allowing courts to quickly dismiss abusive actions.
• Providing due process for any U.S. nonprofits the government attempts to label as criminal or terrorist organizations.
• Improving transparency and accountability for federal agencies that seek to silence critics. Create mechanisms for improved reporting and accountability for government agencies so that officials who commit misconduct by abusing their power to censor or retaliate against critics can be held accountable.

The NOPE Act builds on Congressman Crow’s longstanding work to condemn political violence and stand up for our democracy. Last week, he delivered a speech from the House Floor in which he spoke directly to the American people about the concerning state of American politics and the path forward to unite our country. The full speech is available here.

###