By Michelle Malkin • June 7, 2012 12:18 PM
I’ve been telling you about First Amendment lawyers working behind the scenes to help the targets of Brett Kimberlin and his online cabal.
Kudos to the ACLJ for stepping up to the plate in the face of ongoing threats and smears. Just released:
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2012
ACLJ DEFENDS FREE SPEECH IN BLOGOSPHERE – REPRESENTING TOP CONSERVATIVE BLOGGERS TARGETED FOR HARASSMENT
(Washington, DC) – The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which focuses on constitutional law, announced today it is providing legal representation to a top conservative blogger and his organization that represents hundreds of bloggers who are facing threats and intimidation tactics by those opposed to their viewpoint.
“Free speech is under attack,” said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ. “Conservative writers are now facing threats against themselves, their families, and their livelihoods merely because they’ve aggressively investigated the history and funding of radical liberals. The ACLJ has a long history of successfully defending free speech, and we look forward to defeating this latest attempt to threaten and intimidate conservatives into silence.”
The issue involves targeting a number of conservative bloggers with a dangerous and illegal tactic that’s become known as SWAT-ing (making false 911 calls sending police to the homes of bloggers, claiming a crime has occurred.) The tactic is used in retaliation for posts the conservative bloggers have written.
The ACLJ is representing Ali Akbar, a top blogger and president of the National Bloggers Club, a coalition of 300 conservative bloggers who reach millions of readers. Akbar has seen his mother’s home photographed and placed on the internet. He has also received formal notification that he may soon be sued for publishing truthful information about radical liberals and their wealthy donors.
“I’m grateful for the support of the ACLJ, and I’m confident we’ll defeat any and all legal challenges to our fundamental right to free speech,” said Akbar. “We will not be deterred in our quest for the truth.”
The ACLJ will aggressively defend the constitutionally-protected free speech rights of Akbar and his organizations.
The ACLJ’s representation of Akbar comes as Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) is calling on Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate the SWAT-ting cases to see if federal laws have been violated. In a letter to the Attorney General, Sen. Chambliss wrote: “Any potentially criminal action that incites fear, seeks to silence a dissenting opinion, and collaterally wastes the resources of law enforcement should be given close scrutiny at all levels. . . Regardless of any potential political differences that may exist, threats and intimidation have no place in our national political discourse.”
Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice is based in Washington, D.C. and online at www.aclj.org.
Jay’s blog post is here.
Don’t forget: Donate here to support Kimberlin targets.
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While House Republicans have not raised the issue in their hearing with AG Eric Holder this morning, look for exposure of this issue next week in the Senate as bloggers step up their pressure on Capitol Hill.
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Previous:
GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss to DOJ: What are you doing about SWATtings?
Letter from an Indiana reader about Brett Kimberlin; Update: A tribute to Carl DeLong
Who’s funding Brett Kimberlin?
A post-Brett Kimberlin blogburst to-do list; Updated
The Brett Kimberlin nightmare continues: Aaron Walker in custody
Breakthrough: Fox covers Brett Kimberlin/ Patterico SWATting, bloggers continue pressing the story
Contempt: Free speech-trampling judge in Kimberlin case exposed; help Aaron Walker fight back
*Prediction by most involved is that Holder will do squat on it. Many blogs, Twitter and FB go dark tomorrow, Friday June 8, 2012, in protest and solidarity with the other large bloggers involved in this. We will be joining them.*
Related:
Breaking… Blogger Aaron Walker Arrested after Maryland Hearing on Kimberlin Case – Updated
Free Speech Blogburst: Showing Solidarity for Targeted Conservative Bloggers
Brett Kimberlin Saga Takes a Bizarre Turn, Forcing Me to Leave Maryland - Watcher’s Council Winner 05.25.12
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