Andrew Brasher
Coverage of Andrew Brasher in the Nexus archive.
- Federal appeals court clears way for DeSantis-backed law restricting children at some drag shows
A federal appeals court allowed Florida to enforce a law restricting children from attending certain sexually explicit live performances, including drag shows deemed obscene for minors. The 11th Circuit ruled 8-5 that the law, backed by Governor Ron DeSantis, does not violate the First or Fourteenth Amendments, rejecting Hamburger Mary’s challenge and sending the case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
- U.S. appeals court revises Black-empowerment group’s discrimination claims against Pinellas
A U.S. appeals court ruled that Pinellas County Commission violated the First Amendment rights of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF) by withholding COVID-response grants for political and racial reasons. The court reversed a trial judge’s dismissal of APEDF’s equal-protection and free-speech claims, citing allegations that the county discriminated against the group for its association with the Uhuru Movement and its Black-empowerment goals.
- 11th Circuit shuts door on Florida’s campaign to reshape college accreditation
The 11th Circuit unanimously ruled that the federal government's use of private accreditation agencies to determine eligibility for financial aid at public colleges is constitutional, rejecting Florida's challenge to the Higher Education Act. Florida argued the system violated constitutional clauses, but the court found the accreditation requirement reasonable and consistent with Congress's goal of ensuring federal aid goes to quality institutions.