Attorney Christopher Crowley stopped by Mind Matters and everything Else with Dr. Joseph Sansone to discuss a recent Supreme Court decision that Crowley won against the Florida Bar. The Florida Bar launched an 8 year Jihad against Crowley’s unalienable right to free speech.
After losing a race for State Attorney for Florida's 20th Judicial Circuit back in 2018, supporters of Crowley’s opponent in the race filed frivolous bar complaints against Crowley. Instead of disregarding the frivolous complaints the Florida Bar zealously prosecuted the case. The Bar complaints against Crowley had nothing to do with the practice of law. The complaint targeted Crowley’s political speech during a Republican Primary race for State Attorney.
Crowley’s case is a clear example of Psychopathic Authoritarianism as defined in my upcoming book Psychopathic Authoritarianism: A Disease of the Soul. Preorder now!
Mind Matters and Everything Else first covered the story in November of 2022 and has written several stories covering this case linked below. Attorney Lisa Miron also wrote a chapter featuring Crowley’s case in her book World On Mute.
As written after the recent Florida Supreme Court decision the case has significance:
This decision establishes that attorney campaign speech is fully protected by the First Amendment when made during partisan elections for legal offices such as State Attorney; attorney disciplinary rules restricting such speech are subject to strict scrutiny; preserving confidence in the judicial system is not, by itself, a sufficient justification for restricting political speech in partisan campaigns; lawyers do not lose ordinary First Amendment protections simply because they are licensed professionals. For Florida constitutional and attorney-discipline law, the case marks a significant limitation on The Florida Bar’s ability to sanction lawyers for political campaign speech outside the courtroom.
The case will likely protect other licensed professionals from similar bullying over free speech.
In the interview, in addition to discussing the importance of this decision, Christopher Crowley detailed his 8 year ordeal that he underwent because the Florida Bar ignored and sought to violate his basic First Amendment rights.
Mr. Crowley also expressed concerns that the Florida Bar may continue attacking people for free speech as we discussed this possibility. The Florida Bar is empowered by the Florida Supreme Court and we discussed the possibility of Florida Bar attorneys being sanctioned if they ignore the Florida Supreme Court's decision. To date, no one at the Florida Bar has been fired over this scandalous prosecution and there have been no investigations of possible misconduct at the Florida Bar.
Previous Articles On this Case:
The Florida Bar’s War Against Free Speech - November 23, 2022
The Rutherford Institute Takes on Florida Bar’s War on Free Speech - November 10, 2023
Florida Supreme Court Should Sanction the Florida Bar - Dec 29, 2023
Florida Bar’s Maoist War on Free Speech Continues - May 10, 2024
Florida Supreme Court Case Could Affect Professionals’ Right to Free Speech - May 28, 2025
Crowley Free Speech Case Oral Argument - Jun 04, 2025
Dr. Joseph Sansone is a psychotherapist opposed to psychopathic authoritarianism and the author of Psychopathic Authoritarianism: A Disease of the Soul.
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