Civil rights group sues anti-Muslim Congressman Randy Fine for blocking US citizen on X
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) said on Wednesday that it has filed a federal lawsuit against anti-Muslim Florida Republican Congressman Randy Fine for blocking an American who disagreed with his views on X.
The ADC worked in conjunction with Muslim Legal to file the suit.
"Fine, one of the most bigoted and racist members ever elected to federal office, is being sued for violating the First Amendment Rights of plaintiff Amjad Masad. After going on a racist tirade on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Fine blocked Mr Masad for mocking his anti-Muslim post," the ADC said in a statement.
"The lawsuit challenges Fine’s blatant viewpoint discrimination by using an official public forum to speak about government business, then silencing critics who respond to his rhetoric," the group added.
"ADC’s complaint alleges that Fine posted inflammatory, anti-Muslim rhetoric and then blocked Masad for pushing back, cutting him off from participating in public discussion threads Fine has opened to everyone else."
Earlier this month, Fine caused outrage by writing on X: "If they force us to choose the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one."
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According to the lawsuit, Masad responded, "Are you asking about what's for lunch?" at which point Fine blocked him.
On Thursday alone, before midday local time in Washington, DC, Fine's timeline on X shows him calling Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar a "Somali pirate", and urging the government to "deport" the "Muslim terrorist" Khalid Turaani, who heads the Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Middle East Eye reached out to Fine's office for comment, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Lawmakers seek censure
Fine, who is fiercely pro-Israeli, is now facing calls to resign over his rhetoric towards Muslims and Palestinians from Democratic lawmakers, civil rights groups and Jewish organisations.
Prior to the post about dogs, Fine had also written that “Palestinian is a synonym for evil".
California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna echoed growing condemnation from his progressive caucus colleagues, writing earlier in February: “We must call this what it is. Disgusting bigotry. Fine must be censured. It’s about morality and decency, not politics."
Fine is a member of the newly-formed "Sharia Free America Caucus", which was established by some Republican lawmakers late last year. It's unclear where Islamic Sharia Law is being established in the US, given the constitutional separation of church and state.
In September 2024, Fine faced a wave of anger and accusations of Islamophobia after celebrating the death of Aysenur Eygi, a 26-year-old Turkish-American activist who was fatally shot by the Israeli military in the occupied West Bank.
In May 2025, in response to the killing of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, DC, Fine suggested on Fox News that Gaza should be “nuked" like Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.
In June, top Democrats in the House condemned Fine for what they called "racist" and "Islamophobic" remarks targeting Congresswoman Omar - but no further action was taken.
In October, Qatar’s ambassador to the US sent a rare, direct rebuke to Fine for Islamophobic and anti-Qatar comments he made during an interview with far-right social media personality Laura Loomer.
Fine assumed office last year, filling a seat left vacant by President Donald Trump's current US ambassador to the United Nations and former national security advisor, Mike Waltz.
Trump full-throatedly endorsed Fine at the time.
He is next up for re-election in November's midterms, assuming he wins the Republican primary in his Florida district that is slated for August.
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