BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) – A New York journalist alleges U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) violated the constitution because he was blocked on Twitter from viewing her account.
Harry Cherry filed a complaint on July 15 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against Ocasio-Cortez, alleging violation of the First Amendment.
The suit states the plaintiff is a Jewish journalist and has been in the habit of criticizing the defendant for claims that she has made regarding the U.S. border and likening it to the Holocaust concentration camps on Twitter. He alleges he has been blocked by the defendant on Twitter because of his opinions and has been prevented from viewing her tweets or replying to them.
"In an effort to suppress contrary views, defendant has excluded Twitter users who have criticized AOC and her positions as a congresswoman via 'blocking,'" the suit states. "This practice is unconstitutional and must end."
The plaintiff is seeking that the defendant's blocking of the plaintiff be declared unconstitutional, an injunction ordering the plaintiff to be unblocked and other relief deemed fit. The plaintiff is representing himself.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York case number 1:19-CV-04139