State Rep. Pat Curry (nominal Republican from Waco) sued our clients, Courageous Conservatives PAC and its chair Christopher Ekstrom, seeking to silence their speech holding Curry accountable in the run-up to the vote for Speaker. Earlier this month I filed an anti-SLAPP motion seeking dismissal of the frivolous lawsuit and sanctions against Curry. We are currently working with the court to set a date for the hearing.
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Courageous Conservatives PAC Moves to Dismiss Silencing Lawsuit from Rep. Pat Curry
Legislator Brought Lawsuit to Avoid Hearing From Constituents, Facing Anti-SLAPP Sanctions
[Waco, TX] — The Courageous Conservatives Political Action Committee, an organization dedicated to electing leaders who uphold the values of sovereignty, strength, and principled conservative governance, has filed a motion to dismiss a baseless lawsuit brought by Texas State Representative Pat Curry. The lawsuit, stemming from texts and Meta (Facebook) posts encouraging voters to hold their elected officials accountable, is a direct attack on the First Amendment and citizen-led advocacy.
“This is a blatant attempt by Pat Curry to silence political dissent and chill the voices of his own constituents,” said Chris Ekstrom, Chairman of the Courageous Conservatives PAC. “If you’re an elected official, hearing from the people you represent isn’t a nuisance, it’s your job.”
In the legal filing, Courageous Conservatives made clear its messages were constitutionally protected speech, urging Republican voters to contact Curry and others ahead of a crucial vote for Texas House Speaker and keep the promises they made to voters.
“Our communications were not only legal, they worked,” said Ekstrom. “Curry originally pledged to support a conservative candidate for Speaker. But when he seemed to waver, we helped his constituents remind him of that promise. The fact is, only after public pressure organized by our PAC did Curry vote as he originally said he would. That’s grassroots democracy in action.”
The motion to dismiss, filed under the Texas Citizens Participation Act (TCPA), states in part:
“Plaintiffs’ lawsuit seeks damages and a speech-prohibiting injunction…made in Defendant’s exercise of all three enumerated and fundamental rights which the TCPA was enacted to protect.”
The PAC’s messaging was directed solely at the public, without any coordination with speaker candidates, and falls squarely within the protections of both the First Amendment and the Texas Constitution’s free-speech guarantees.
Curry’s lawsuit alleges violations of the Texas Election Code, but as the filing explains, “Texas law has long treated expenditures regarding the competition for House Speaker as categorically distinct from the public elections governed under title 15 of the Election Code.”
In short, Curry’s claims lack legal merit — and standing.
“What Curry really wants is to use the courts to punish those who dared to organize against him. That’s not just unconstitutional, it’s un-American,” Ekstrom said.
Further, the motion rebukes Curry’s claims of illegality, stating:
“A lawsuit by a sitting officeholder to shut down critical speech by a political committee is anything but a typical civil action.”
Ekstrom added, “Curry’s strategy is clear: intimidate conservatives into silence. But we won’t be bullied, and neither will the millions of Americans who want to see elected leaders stick to their word. This has been going on in Texas for a long time, and I intend to bring it to an end. We will not be silenced.”
The PAC is also seeking attorney’s fees and sanctions, noting that “expedited dismissal is particularly appropriate where a lawsuit threatens, or chills protected activity without any sound basis.”
As 2026 elections approach, Courageous Conservatives PAC will continue its mission to amplify the voices of grassroots conservatives and ensure political accountability in every state house and district across the country.
About Courageous Conservatives PAC
Courageous Conservatives PAC is a grassroots-driven political action committee dedicated to electing principled conservative leaders who will fight for American values, national sovereignty, and an America First agenda. Led by Chairman Chris Ekstrom, the PAC works to ensure that the voices of patriotic Americans are heard — not silenced — locally and nationwide.
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