Welcome to the Empire Files podcast. This is your host, Abby Martin. This is the audio of our show.

You can watch the episodes on our YouTube channel or at the Empirefiles.tv.

In February of this year, I was supposed to give a keynote speech at Georgia Southern University.

Before the event, I refused to sign a state-mandated pledge to not boycott Israel in order to speak.

My invitation was rescinded and the conference canceled as a result.

I decided to sue the state of Georgia because signing an anti-BDS clause in order to work in the state

is a direct violation of my constitutional rights to free speech and to participate in

political boycotts. Similar laws exist in 28 states across the country. You can watch the whole press

conference with my lawyers, with care, and the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund on our YouTube

channel, which we'll link to below. Joining me now is one of the main lawyers to give an update on the case, Mara Verhaden Hilliard,

of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund.

Thank you so much for joining me, Mara.

So I first wanted to get an update on my lawsuit filed with Kerr and the PCJF.

Back in February when we had that press conference, the lawsuit was filed that day.

Can you give us any updates on what has happened, what they've done to respond legally since then?

Since we filed the initial lawsuit, we have filed an amended complaint in this case,

in which we've also been able to include some of the material that has come out since the initial filing

that shows the communications going on behind the scenes in Georgia,

where they were taking action to stop you from being able to speak in service to the law

that acts as a censor against those who support the BDS movement. The defendants in this case

have since moved to dismiss, which is what we expected. They filed a motion to dismiss. We have filed an opposition to that.

And there has now been an amicus brief that's been filed in support of your case by J Street and by a Jewish human rights organization of rabbis in the United States,

...