Kansas Judge Overrules Lawsuit Against Data Center Petitioners

A local victory and yet another sign that grassroots sentiment doesn't favor big tech . . . Check-it: 

Judge Stephanie Goodenow ruled that petition organizers Carrie Schmidt and Kimberly Twente, along with the Public Trust Collective, were within their rights to fight the city’s lawsuit under the Kansas Public Speech Protection Act.

The law was designed to prevent lawsuits meant to silence public participation.

“This case demonstrates why the Kansas Public Speech Protection Act is so important. First Amendment rights are not meaningfully protected if ordinary citizens can be forced to endure months or years of expensive litigation against a governmental entity, only to prevail at the end,” Linus Baker, attorney for the residents, told KCTV5. “The statute provides an expedited procedure designed to test those claims early, before the burden and expense of the litigation itself become the punishment.” 

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

KCTV5: Judge sides with citizens in Edgerton data center petition battle