Nat’l Assoc. of Realtors gives up demand to regulate members’ ‘private’ speech
A national organization that claimed it could censor and restrict the speech of its members, including their speech as private individuals, is reversing course.
And it could be because it faced a lawsuit over its practices.
The Washington Stand reports the abrupt course reversal has been confirmed by the National Association of Realtors.
The organization had attacked a member who worked in Virginia, and also served as a local pastor.
It was Wilson Fauber who was put in a bull’s-eye by leftists in the organization who demanded that he be punished for sharing Bible verses and sermons on sexuality on his personal social media accounts.
It was in 2024 that the Virginia NAR claimed Fauber’s posts violated its rule that bans “harassing speech.”
Because of its leftist ideology, specially protected people included those with characteristics including “religion, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”
His online comments were bashed during his 2023 Staunton City Council campaign, and complaints were filed by two group member who didn’t know him, but still alleged “hate speech.”
Just days ago, the national group “announced a pivotal amendment to Standard of Practice 10-5, as reported by The Christian Post: ‘In the amendment to Standard of Practice 10-5 … the NAR clarified that the rule can only regulate a realtor’s speech that is made in their professional capacity in furtherance of their real estate practice,'” the report said.
Before that change, the group claimed the authority to regulate professional and personal speech.
Fauber said, “This is a massive victory for free speech and religious freedom not just for me, but for all 1.5 million members of the National Association of Realtors.”
The report said he attributed the change to his looming lawsuit against the NAR as well as advocacy in state legislatures like in Texas.
Victoria Cobb, of The Family Foundation, called on the state organization to “compensate [Fauber] for the losses to his business and reputation” caused by the censorship scheme.
Arielle Del Turco, of Family Research Council’s Center for Religious Liberty, told the Stand, “It is totally inappropriate for a professional association to punish its members for expressing their sincerely held religious beliefs in their private capacity.”