Dear Friends,
The bi-partisan "Libel Terrorism Protection Act" ( S.6687/A.9652), was introduced two weeks ago in the New York Assembly and Senate by Assembly Members, Rory Lancman (D) and Senator Dean Skelos (R). This bill was introduced to protect New York authors who expose terrorism and terror funding from libel lawsuits filed in foreign courts. If U.S. legislators do not act to stop these lawsuits, the ramifications will be chilling and ominous. A wealthy Saudi has now successfully silenced more than 40 authors and publishers, including many Americans, through threats and lawsuits.
Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld, author of Funding Evil; How Terrorism is Financed – And How to Stop It (www.acdemocracy.org), was a target of one of those lawsuits. The Association of American Publishers (AAP) strongly supports this bill.
We need to mount a massive campaign--NOW--or this bill will die. America, not only New York, needs this legislation. This matter is CRITICAL to protect the U.S. Constitution--the First Amendment--not only in New York State. We must protect journalists' right to expose terror funding, and citizens' rights to be educated.
Action Item: Please copy and paste the sample letter below, or write you own. Please fax or email to the Legislators who authored the bill, listed in the letter below. If you have time to make a call or send a fax asking that they please pass the "Libel Terrorism Protection Act", it would be greatly appreciated. You do not have to live in New York to write, it's important that the legislators hear from everyone. If you live in New York and would like to add your own representative to the letter, they are all listed here:
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/This is a very important bill, thank you for taking the time to help get is passed.
Phone numbers and more information below letter. Please pass this on to your lists.
Thank You very much!
Dear New York State Assembly Members: Dean Skelos, Rory Lancman, Helene Weinstein, Speaker Sheldon Silver, and Senators: John DeFrancisco and Dean Skelos:
I urge you and your colleagues to pass the bipartisan "Libel Terrorism Protection Act", which was introduced two weeks ago in the New York Assembly and Senate by Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D) and Senator Dean Skelos (R). This bill was introduced to protect New York authors who expose terrorism and terror funding, from libel lawsuits filed in foreign courts. Our First Amendment rights, protections of speech and free press are in jeopardy. If U.S. legislators do not act to stop these lawsuits, the ramifications will be chilling and ominous. This matter is CRITICAL to protect the U.S. Constitution--the First Amendment. We must protect journalists' right to expose terror funding, and citizens' rights to be educated.
A wealthy Saudi has now successfully silenced more than 40 authors and publishers, including many Americans, through threats and U. K. lawsuits. Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld, author of Funding Evil; How Terrorism is Financed – And How to Stop It, was a target of one of those lawsuits. The Association American of Publishers (AAP) strongly supports this measure.
The bill will change New York state "long arm" statutes that govern business relationships with distant entities--to COVER and PROTECT New York writers and publishers from foreign libel lawsuits. As things stand, Saudis from foreign jurisdictions are successfully diluting America's First Amendment protections of speech and free press.
The sooner New York passes the proposed "Libel Terrorism Protection Act" into law, the sooner the publishing capital of the U.S. and free world--and NY authors--will be safe from foreign jurisdictions that allow outsiders to file frivolous libel suits, without merit. Without a free press, Democracy cannot survive.
Sincerely,
Your name
CONTACTS
Assemblyman Rory Lancman:
Tel: 518-455-5172 (Albany Office)
Tel: 718-820-0241 (District Office)
Fax: 718-820-0414
Email: LancmanR@assembly.state.ny.us
Senator Dean Skelos:
Email: skelos@senate.state.ny.us
Tel: 518-455-3171
Fax: 516-766-8011
New York State Assembly -Speaker, Sheldon Silver
Tel: 212-312-1420
Email: speaker@assembly.state.ny.us
Assemblywoman Helene E. Weinstein
Tel: 718-648-4700
Email: weinsth@assembly.state.ny.us
NY Senator John A. DeFrancisco
Albany Office
Tel: 518-455-3511
Email: jdefranc@senate.state.ny.us
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