Shurtleff seeks to dismiss group's pro-porn lawsuit

A Nov. 16 lawsuit against the state of Utah received backlash from the state Attorney General's Office on Wednesday.

"This lawsuit shows the pornographers' true colors," Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said in a press release. "They claim a 'right' to market porn to adults, but by challenging our Child Protection Registry, they have proven their real intent to force smut on our children in our homes and schools."

Shurtleff filed a motion in federal court to dismiss the complaint, which was originally filed by the Free Speech Coalition, a not-for-profit trade association representing nearly 3,000 businesses and individuals involved in the marketing of adult-oriented material, challenging the constitutionality of the state's Child Protection Registry law.

The lawsuit, Shurtleff said, "aims to dismantle" the registry, which was set up to protect children on the Internet by removing their e-mail addresses from a central database to which marketers have access.

The registry will remain operational pending the lawsuit and is free to anyone wanting to sign up.