Apparently the Faith and Freedom Coalition (“FFC”)–allegedly some sort of Conservative-leaning PAC– blasted Florida residents with texts urging Senator Bill Nelson to support the Kavanaugh confirmation. The text (allegedly) read as follows:
This is Ralph Reed. A good man is under attack & needs your help. Call Sen Bill Nelson TODAY & tell him to confirm Brett Kavanaugh.
Subtle.
Similar texts were allegedly blasted to a bunch of folks in the area, none of whom–according to the lawsuit–consented to receive those texts.
The complaint–filed Monday in the Southern District of Florida by an agitated citizen named Shehan Wijesinha and found here Wijensinha v FFC— alleges a class of all persons within the United States that were sent a text message by the Defendant without prior express consent. It is brought by noted TCPA class action attorney Manuel Hiraldo of Hiraldo, P.A.
The TCPA prevents text messages–including political texts–to cellular phones without consent. If the Defendant is found liable for sending the texts under the TCPA it may face exposure as high as $1,500.00 per text. Given the number of texts allegedly at issue in the suit this may cost the FFC many millions of dollars to resolve, a fact that may prompt the FFC to need a Devil’s Triangle this afternoon to unwind. (What? Its a drinking game!)
A recent Wyoming lawsuit found a state corollary law similar to the TCPA unconstitutional as applied to political messages–and you can bet your bottom dollar that the folks at FFC will assert a First Amendment challenge here.
We’ll keep a close eye on this one for you.
