The Babylon Bee launched a comprehensive legal challenge Wednesday against Hawaii’s controversial new law that criminalizes political satire.
The Bee is claiming the state has blatantly violated citizens’ fundamental First Amendment rights.
The popular satirical news website joined forces with Dawn O’Brien, a politically active Honolulu voter who operates influential Instagram and Facebook accounts with thousands of dedicated followers.
The plaintiffs argue Hawaii deliberately employed “vague and overbroad terms” that effectively grant state officials “unbridled enforcement” discretion to systematically suppress political memes and satirical content circulating online.
Hawaii enacted the sweeping legislation last summer.
It threatens severe penalties including jail time, substantial fines, civil lawsuits, monetary damages and a comprehensive 10-year disqualification from holding any public office for posting certain political satire images online that authorities deem “materially deceptive.”
The Babylon Bee and O’Brien are aggressively demanding that federal courts immediately block enforcement of the controversial law and officially declare it unconstitutional under the First Amendment.
“We’re used to getting pulled over by the joke police, but comedy isn’t a crime,” Seth Dillon, owner and CEO of The Babylon Bee, told The Daily Wire.
“The First Amendment protects our right to tell jokes, whether it’s election season or not. We’ll