A Tennessee Man Jailed for 37 Days Because of an Anti-Trump Meme Will Get $835,000 for His Trouble
Larry Bushart, a Tennessee man, was jailed for 37 days due to an anti-Trump meme he shared on Facebook. He has now settled a federal lawsuit for $835,000 after being wrongfully arrested. The case highlights concerns about First Amendment rights and the actions of local law enforcement.
- ▪Larry Bushart was jailed for 37 days for sharing an anti-Trump meme on Facebook.
- ▪He has settled a federal lawsuit for $835,000 due to the wrongful arrest.
- ▪The Perry County Sheriff claimed the meme caused 'mass hysteria' in the community without evidence.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
First Amendment A Tennessee Man Jailed for 37 Days Because of an Anti-Trump Meme Will Get $835,000 for His Trouble Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems preposterously claimed that Larry Bushart had threatened "mass violence" at a school. Jacob Sullum | 5.20.2026 1:15 PM Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL Add Reason to Google Media Contact & Reprint Requests <img src="https://d2eehagpk5cl65.cloudfront.net/img/c800x450-w800-q80/uploads/2026/05/Larry-Bushart-FIRE-2-800x450.jpg" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto" width="1200" height="675" title="Larry Bushart" alt="Larry Bushart | LadyJay Creations LLC/FIRE" /> Larry Bushart (LadyJay Creations LLC/FIRE) Last year, Larry Bushart spent 37 days in a Tennessee jail because he had shared a…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Reason Magazine.