The Supreme Court said Monday it won’t review a case of North Carolina ceasing to issue license plates showcasing the Confederate flag.
The North Carolina chapter of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, a nonprofit group, asked the high court to review a decision by the state not to issue their personalized license plate since a Confederate flag was part of it.
The nonprofit group preserves historic sites and says it does not endorse discrimination or political agendas behind the Confederate flag.
The organization wanted the high court to review a lower court’s ruling against it after the state said it would stop issuing the plates in 2021, reasoning that the plate “is offensive to good taste and decency.”
Without comment, the high court declined to weigh the First Amendment battle.
It would have taken four justices to vote in favor of hearing the case.
SEE ALSO: Supreme Court refuses to hear cases over church, school’s firing of religious leaders
North Carolina has three styles of license plates. It lets civic groups, if they meet certain criteria, issue specialty plates, according to The Associated Press.
In 2015, the Supreme Court decided Walker v. Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, which dealt with that state not issuing license plates with the Confederate flag.
The justices, in a 5-4 ruling, said it was a state issue and the state issuing the plates with the flag on them suggests it would endorse the Confederate emblem.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.