Settlement requires Arkansas senator to unblock critics

By ANDREW DeMILLO
Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas state senator must unblock critics from his social media accounts under a settlement with a national atheists group that had sued him. American Atheists on Wednesday announced the settlement in its federal lawsuit against Arkansas over Republican Sen. Jason Rapert’s social media. Rapert will be required to remove any restrictions on his Facebook and Twitter accounts under the settlement. The state will also have to pay the group about $16,000 for expenses related to the case. American Atheists had argued that blocking critics was a First Amendment violation. Rapert leaves office in January.