Steve Marcus/Reuters
Adult-entertainment expo Exxxotica is suing the city of Dallas, its Mayor Mike Ralings, and seven members of the city council after the local government banned it from using a downtown convention center. The city voted in favor of the ban about two weeks ago, against the advice of City Attorney Warren Ernst, but the federal suit, filed Wednesday, claims the ban isn't constitutional. Exxxotica's attorney Roger Albright said: “A public forum, whether it be a street corner or a convention center or City Hall itself, is open to everyone." He added, “The city cannot discriminate against someone’s speech or ideas or beliefs merely because it disagrees with the message. Exxxotica did not and does not present material that is obscene. But to the contrary, it presents artistic and educational material which is protected by the First Amendment, and for the same reason the City Council can’t ban a gun show, it can’t ban an Exxxotica show.”