AG Steven Marshall files brief to protect pregnancy center’s free speech
Attorney General Steven Marshall has joined a 10-state effort, filing an amicus brief urging a federal appeals court to support a religious organization’s right to free speech to allow them to talk about and offer alternatives to abortion. Alabama was part of a coalition’s friend-of-the-court brief, filed April 3 in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The brief defended a pregnancy center in Maryland, the Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns, against the City of Baltimore’s attempts to undermine its ability to speak about and offer alternatives to abortion. In 2009, the City of Baltimore passed a city ordinance that requires such centers with pro-life pregnancy counselors to post signs telling clients that the facility does not provide abortions or referrals. However, the city fails to require abortion clinics to display the services which they do not offer, including adoption or prenatal care. “The clear aim of the city ordinance is to impede the mission of pro-life counseling centers and silence the expression of religious belief,” said Marshall. “A city cannot treat crisis pregnancy centers different from abortion clinics simply because it dislikes their pro-life message.” Marshall and the other states argue the ordinance uses consumer protection as cover to violate the First Amendment, by targeting the non-commercial speech of charitable organizations who wish to communicate sincerely-held religious beliefs about abortion. Alabama signed onto the West Virginia-led brief with attorneys general from Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.
Alabama announces its support for Donald Trump’s travel ban
The state of Alabama has thrown its support behind President Donald Trump‘s revised travel ban. On Monday, Alabama Attorney General Steven Marshall announced Alabama has joined 12 other states in filing an amicus brief in support of the Trump administration’s executive order temporarily restricting the admission of foreign nationals from six countries posing a security risk to the United States. The executive order was recently ruled unconstitutional by a federal court in Maryland, and the Trump administration has since appealed that ruling. Marshall says Trump has the legal authority to forbid foreign nationals from entering the U.S. “As president of the United States, Donald Trump has the legal authority to restrict entry into this country of any foreign national who may pose a risk to our safety and security,” observed Marshall. “It defies reason that the federal courts would seek to block the Commander in Chief from exercising his legal authority to preemptively safeguard Americans’ security. “In response, Alabama has sent a signal that we support the Trump administration’s executive order restricting entry of foreign nationals from six countries with the strongest record of terrorism: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.” Alabama joined Texas, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia in filing an amicus brief Monday in support of the Trump administration.
New AG appoints Clay Crenshaw Alabama Chief Deputy Attorney General
Newly appointed Alabama Attorney General Steven Marshall announced Tuesday his own appointment of Assistant Attorney General Clay Crenshaw to serve as Chief Deputy Attorney General. Crenshaw succeeds Alice Martin, who held the post for the last two years under former state AG Luther Strange. “I am pleased to welcome Clay Crenshaw, a near 30-year veteran of the Attorney General’s Office, to the position of Chief Deputy Attorney General,” said Marshall. “Clay possesses a wealth of legal experience defending the State in complex litigation, most recently leading the Attorney General’s Office Appeals Division which oversees Alabama’s death penalty cases and criminal appeals. He understands the important role that law enforcement and the court system play in protecting the people of Alabama, and I know he will ensure that this office continues to uphold the rule of law.” Crenshaw is a Greenville native, and a 1988 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law. He holds a B.S. in political science from Auburn University Montgomery. Previously he’s served as Assistant Attorney General with the Alabama Department of Finance from 1989-1992, Assistant Attorney General in the Capital Litigation Division from 1992-1998, Division Chief of the Capital Litigation Division from 1998-2015 and Chief of the Appeals Division in 2016. AG Marshall also thanked Chief Deputy Martin for assisting during his transition into office, ensuring the mission of the Attorney General’s Office continued uninterrupted. “I am grateful to Chief Deputy Martin for her assistance over the last three weeks as I transitioned into my new role as Alabama’s 48th Attorney General,” Marshall said. “I appreciate her service to the state and her commitment to the office.” Martin leaves the office to rejoin the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts.
