December 6, 2019
The Daily Caller: Lawmakers Urge Barr To Fulfill Trump’s Promise To Enforce Obscene Porn Laws: ‘It’s Time We Start Talking About It'
Republican Indiana Rep. Jim Banks sent a letter Friday urging Attorney General William Barr to enforce laws restricting the use of obscene pornography.
The letter, signed by Banks, Republican North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows, Republican Missouri Rep. Vicky Hartzler, and Republican Texas Rep. Brian Babin, urges Barr to enforce federal obscenity laws and prioritize the prosecution of pornography producers and distributors.
Obscenity is not protected under the First Amendment, according to the Department of Justice, and violations of federal obscenity laws are criminal offenses. Federal law criminalizes the distribution, transportation, shipping, selling, mailing, and producing with intent to sell or distribute obscene matter. Those who are convicted of these crimes face both fines and imprisonment.
"The prevalence of pornography in our society has consequences, especially for our children," Banks told the DCNF. "It's time we start talking about it."
President Donald Trump signed the first-ever anti-pornography pledge in August 2016, a pledge promising to enforce the federal obscenity laws Banks and other lawmakers refer to. But the lawmakers note that Trump has not yet followed through on his promise...