LITTLE ROCK -- An Arkansas newspaper is asking a federal appeals court to revive its lawsuit challenging the state's requirement that government contractors pledge to not boycott Israel.
The Arkansas Times filed notice Thursday that it's appealing U.S. District Judge Brian Miller's ruling last month dismissing the lawsuit the Arkansas Times had filed challenging the 2017 law. The newspaper had asked the judge to block the law, which requires contractors with the state to reduce their fees by 20 percent if they don't sign the pledge.
Miller had ruled that such boycotts aren't protected by the First Amendment.
The Times' lawsuit said the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College refused to contract for advertising with the newspaper unless the Arkansas Times signed the pledge. The paper isn't engaged in a boycott against Israel.
NW News on 02/22/2019