← All reports

The sheriff's office used jail time as a means to suppress free speech by targeting an individual for posting a Trump meme on Facebook.

Law EnforcementFree SpeechLegal IssuesMay 20, 2026score 0.632 posts · 4 replies across 2 instances
A retired Tennessee police officer was jailed for 37 days for posting a Trump meme on Facebook and later won an $835,000 settlement against the county and sheriff he claimed were trying to censor him. The case highlights tensions between free speech and law enforcement actions.

Claims

The sheriff's office used jail time as a means to suppress free speech by targeting an individual for posting a Trump meme on Facebook.
Parent: Law EnforcementEntity: Sheriff's OfficeImpact: negativeDate: May 20, 2026Target: The sheriff's office used jail time as a means to suppress free speech by targeting an individual for posting a Trump meme on Facebook.

Source posts

@[email protected]
ArsTechnica: Man jailed for posting Trump meme wins $835,000 settlement Sheriff loses fight with man he jailed for 37 days for posting a Trump meme on Facebook. "...Larry Bushart, a retired Tennessee cop who was jailed for 37 days for posting a Trump meme on Facebook, won an $835,000 settlement Wednesday after suing the county and sheriff that he said jailed him in order to censor him...." https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/man-wins-835k-after-sheriff-jailed-him-for-a-month-over-charlie-kirk-post/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social #1stAmendment #law #uspol
6 boosts · 0 favs · 3 replies · May 20, 2026
#1stamendment#law#uspol
@[email protected]
“Larry Bushart, a retired Tennessee cop who was jailed for 37 days for posting a Trump meme on Facebook, won an $835,000 settlement Wednesday after suing the county and sheriff that he said jailed him in order to censor him.” https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/man-wins-835k-after-sheriff-jailed-him-for-a-month-over-charlie-kirk-post/ #USPol
5 boosts · 0 favs · 1 replies · May 20, 2026
#uspol