A “resistance to defendants’ motion to dismiss” document filed by NORML ISU attorneys Sept. 22 claimed ISU officials denied benefits to and restricted the speech of students because they disagreed with the group’s message.

The document accused administrators of “shielding illegitimate restrictions on political speech by invoking trademark principles.”

The resistance to the motion also claims NORML ISU was discriminated against after it was featured in a Des Moines Register article. The story featured a prominent photo of a student wearing a NORML ISU T-shirt, which had a cannabis leaf and Cy the mascot on it.

NORML ISU filed the lawsuit after it was denied permission to use ISU-trademarked logos on T-shirts.

Paul Gerlich and Erin Furleigh, NORML ISU president and vice president, respectively, filed in July against President Steven Leath; Leesha Zimmerman, trademark office program coordinator; Tom Hill, senior vice president for student affairs; and Warren Madden, senior vice president for business and finance.

Iowa State filed the motion to dismiss Sept. 4 and has an Oct. 2 deadline to respond to the NORML ISU’s opposition to dismiss.