You own Priscilla’s Pecans. You employ five people and sell your pecan products in one town in Georgia. Your products are not sold in any other state.

The federal government imposes regulations on the pecan industry. The Georgia Legislature issues its own safety laws that are stricter than the federal rules. Georgia also places a tax on pecan products made out-of-state because it fears those products will not be as safe as those produced in Georgia under the strict Georgia regulations.

The regulations raise the cost of doing business. To register your unhappiness with the Georgia regulations you attach a label to your products that alerts customers to the rules and expresses your view that the rules are unnecessary and too costly.You donate $10,000 to the campaign of Lucinda Snopes, a friend who is running for the legislature. She opposes the pecan law.Buddy Reeves, the county attorney, reads the label criticizing the new safety regulations. He draws up a complaint against you and against Priscilla's for distributing inflammatory statements in commerce. He instructs the sheriff to seize your products in order to stop distribution of your statement, which the sheriff does.You contact attorney Travis Shifflett and ask him to represent you.

a.) Discuss the constitutionality of both the federal and state laws relating to the sale of pecans.

b.) What are the implications of Buddy Reeves actions? Is there a free speach issue? How might Buddy Reeves regulate speech?

c.) What should you consider when making a political contribution? How is the candidate to respond?