Words are not violence (or a crime). The guilty verdict against Shiloh Hendrix sets a dangerous precedent, demonstrating the Left’s willingness to destroy the First Amendment. A stranger digs through her purse, a man records her reaction to provoke her, and SHE ends up facing the full weight of the state? This reeks of selective prosecution. If Shiloh was referring to someone as a “cracker,” this would not have ever made news, let alone resulted in a politically motivated witch hunt pretending to be a prosecution. When the justice system treats spoken frustration as more dangerous than the initial violation of privacy, the system is fundamentally broken. The First Amendment doesn't exist to protect "polite speech." It exists to protect ALL speech from government overreach. Meanwhile, we watch soft-on-crime policies across the country grant early releases to real violent offenders. This double standard exists to silence law-abiding citizens who refuse to submit to radical Left narrative control. All of America must be a shield for constitutional liberties, not an instrument for selective prosecution. The First Amendment is non-negotiable. Shiloh Hendrix should appeal her conviction, all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if she has to.

Today, I joined Secretary of State Michael Adams as he signed the form that officially opts Kentucky into President Trump’s federal school choice program. This happened because of House Bill 1, the legislation I was honored to sponsor alongside Representative @5boymom. When I ran for office, I promised to fight for more freedom, more opportunity, and more choices for Kentucky families. Today is proof that those promises were more than empty campaign slogans, but words I live by in my legislative service. HB 1 allows Kentucky to participate in the new federal school choice program by creating a pathway for Scholarship Granting Organizations to operate in our Commonwealth. Individuals who donate to these organizations can receive a dollar-to-dollar federal tax credit, and those donations are then used to provide scholarships for Kentucky students, regardless of how they receive their education. Those scholarships can help families pay for school tuition, public school programs, tutoring, textbooks, educational therapies, homeschooling expenses, and many other educational needs that can make a real difference in a child's future. Families win by opting into this school choice program. Every child learns differently. Some students thrive in their neighborhood public school while others need a different setting to reach their full potential. Parents know their children better than any government agency ever will, and they deserve the freedom to make those decisions without financial barriers standing in the way. The best part is that this program does not require Kentucky taxpayers to fund another government program. This program costs the taxpayer NOTHING. Instead, it encourages private citizens to invest directly in the education of Kentucky children through Scholarship Granting Organizations. That creates new opportunities for students while respecting taxpayers and expanding educational freedom across our Commonwealth. Many colleagues have said it would be stupid not to pass HB 1, so of course Beshear vetoed it. Governor Beshear vetoed House Bill 1 because he wanted to stop Kentucky from participating in this historic program that helps Kentucky families and students. Fortunately, Republicans in the legislature stood firm and overrode his veto because we understood what was at stake. We refused to let politics stand between Kentucky families and better educational opportunities. Today, we also released guidance for Scholarship Granting Organizations so they can begin preparing to serve Kentucky families while complying with federal law. The groundwork is now in place to begin opening new doors for students across our state. I believe every family deserves the opportunity to pursue the best education possible for their children, regardless of their income or where they live. Your support makes victories like this possible. Let’s continue working to make Kentucky the best place in America to live, work, raise a family, and receive an education. Thank you, Kentucky!