On March 2nd, 2023 Palmetto State Watch reported that the SC Freedom Caucus filed a lawsuit against the House Ethics Commission and its ten members in their official capacity.

The majority of the SC Freedom Caucus’ members were kicked out of the Republican Caucus for refusing to sign the House GOP’s loyalty oath, which prevented them from taking photos of the voting board and supporting anyone running against a Republican incumbent during campaign season.

The SC Freedom Caucus decided to sue the House Ethics Commission in order to be considered a full legislative caucus, just like the Republican Caucus and Women’s Caucus. Before the lawsuit, the SC Freedom Caucus was considered a “special interests” caucus and were unable to raise money, participate in political speech and “engage in any activity that would influence the outcome of an election or ballot measure” like a caucus would if they were based off of a party, race, or gender.

On June 13th, 2023 the SC Freedom Caucus made history by winning their lawsuit and upholding their First Amendment rights! Read the summary judgement here.

“In a forty-page opinion, United States District Court Judge Cameron Currie permanently blocked the enforcement of state statutes that sought to limit the expressive and associational activities of the Freedom Caucus and other “legislative special interest caucuses,” finding them to be “a ban on speech.” The court held that these laws, written to favor the House Democratic Caucus, House Republican Caucus, the Black Caucus, and the Women’s Caucus, violated the Freedom Caucus’s First Amendment and Equal Protection rights. “

America First Legal

Congratulations to the SC Freedom Caucus for taking on the establishment and refusing to waiver. As South Carolinians, it is important to never forget our God-given rights, especially pertaining to freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and transparency in our governmental agencies. There is no fight too big or too small when it comes to our liberties. As we have learned, it is not impossible to take on the big wigs and win…they would just prefer that you thought it was impossible.

“Truth will ultimately prevail where pains is taken to bring it to light.”
George Washington, in a letter to Charles Mynn Thruston’s on June 21, 1794