Man who disrupted Supreme Court argument gets time served; video of the protest was a first
4/15/2014WASHINGTON — A demonstrator who interrupted U.S. Supreme Court arguments in February and whose group posted video of the protest online, in a first for the court, has been sentenced to time served.
Noah “Kai” Newkirk of California pleaded guilty today in connection with the Feb. 26 disruption, after which he served a night in jail. Newkirk is a member of the group 99Rise. He told a judge he spoke out to protest the “unprecedented amount of money” corporations are spending on elections.
During his demonstration, Newkirk called on the court to overturn its 2010 Citizens United decision, which freed corporations and labor unions from some limits on campaign spending.
After video of Newkirk’s protest was posted online, the Supreme Court tightened its security. The Court forbids cameras and all other electronic devices.