LAT:
The California Supreme Court decided Monday that the votes of elected officials are protected free speech.
The state high court ruled in a lawsuit brought by the city of Montebello against three former council members and a city administrator. Montebello contended the officials had violated a conflict of interest law in supporting a garbage hauling contract in exchange for campaign contributions.
In a 5-2 decision, Justice Carol A. Corrigan wrote that voting by an elected official was protected by a state law designed to combat lawsuits that chill free speech. The law allows defendants to bring a special motion to throw out such a lawsuit at an early stage…
In a dissent, Justice Goodwin Liu, joined by Justice Leondra Kruger, said a legislator’s vote is not protected by state and federal free speech guarantees.
“The court’s contrary holding will make it harder to enforce civil laws against public corruption,” Liu wrote.