--- Original Message ---
[log in to unmask] Wrote on
Mon, 26 Jun 2000 15:41:31 -0400 (EDT)
------------------
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR Action Alert
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Alert #256
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C., 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-659-2254
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
239 HOUSE MEMBERS VOTE TO CUT FUNDS FOR SECRET EVIDENCE CASES
How did your elected representative vote on this important issue?
(WASHINGTON, DC - 6/26/2000) - Alhamdulillah. On Thursday, June
22, the full House of Representatives voted to cut funds used to jail
those detained through the use of secret evidence. The amendment to
a government appropriations bill was sponsored by Rep. Tom Campbell
(R-CA).
(Reps. David Bonior [D-MI], Ray LaHood [R-IL] and Mark Sanford
[R-SC] co-sponsored the amendment.) It eliminated $173,480 in U.S. Justice
Department expenses, the estimated taxpayer cost of detaining people
based on secret evidence.
Campbell's amendment passed 239-173 following a one-hour debate in which
House members voiced strong opposition to secret evidence. Following the
vote, Campbell was quoted as saying: "It was the dream I had wished for,
that members of Congress would stand up and say, 'That's [secret
evidence] not right."
(www.sptimes.com/News/062400/Worldandnation/Funds_for_secret_evid.shtml)
The California Republican, along with House Minority Whip David Bonior of
Michigan, also introduced legislation to ban the use of secret evidence
entirely. The Secret Evidence Repeal Act (H.R.2121) has more than 100
congressional sponsors. (Go to http://thomas.loc.gov. Search for bill
number H.R. 2121.) The Judiciary Committee recently held a hearing on
H.R.2121. Backers hope to take the bill to the full House before the
August recess.
The only organizational opposition to H.R.2121 has come from the American
Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The AJC
issued a statement voicing "deep regret" over Thursday night's successful
vote on the Campbell amendment.
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS REQUESTED:
1) Find out how your elected representative voted Thursday night on the
Campbell amendment to H.R.4690. A vote tally is located at:
http://143.231.123.93/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2000&rollnumber=315
Call 202-224-3121 to find out who represents your district. Have your Zip
Code ready.
2) If your representative voted in favor of the Campbell amendment, say
thanks. If they voted against the amendment, ask why. Also ask that they
support the Secret Evidence Repeal Act (H.R.2121) when it comes to the
full House.
3) Contact House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) to
ask that the Secret Evidence Repeal Act be sent to "mark up" so that it
can go to the full House for a vote.
CONTACT:
The Honorable Henry J. Hyde
Chairman
House Judiciary Committee
2110 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
TEL: 202-225-4561
FAX: 202-225-1166
E-MAIL: [log in to unmask] or http://www.house.gov/writerep/.
(Calls are most effective, followed by faxes and then e-mail
messages.)
COPY TO: [log in to unmask]
URL: http://www.house.gov/hyde/ and http://www.house.gov/judiciary/
TALKING POINTS:
* Secret evidence is unconstitutional and is used disproportionately
against members of the Muslim and Arab-American communities.
Almost all of the individuals held based on secret evidence are Muslims
and Arabs.
* Federal courts have rejected the credibility of secret evidence on
several occasions, and in cases where secret evidence was revealed, it
often turned out to be nothing more than rumors, press clippings, and
other forms of evidence that would not stand up in a court of law.
* The basic guarantee to "due process of law" contained in the Fifth
Amendment should not be denied to anyone, citizen or non-citizen. To
deprive any individual in the United States of liberty without a chance
to confront the evidence used against him is a denial of justice.
It flies in the face of American values.
* Perceived as singling out Muslim activists in the United States, secret
evidence threatens to chill everyone's right to free speech. The use of
secret evidence makes American Muslims think twice before speaking out,
engaging in politics, or otherwise exercising their First Amendment
rights.
- PLEASE COPY, POST, DISTRIBUTE, AND ANNOUNCE -
CAIR NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP EDUCATE, ENLIGHTEN AND EMPOWER
MUSLIMS
----- CLIP AND MAIL -----
CAIR PLEDGE FORM
___ YES, I would like to pledge a monthly payment of $_________
so that
CAIR may continue its vital work. I authorize my bank to make
these
payments through Citibank in accordance with the terms below.
My Name (as it appears on bank statement):
My Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
My Telephone Number:
TERMS: (PLEASE INCLUDE A VOIDED CHECK. You contribution cannot
be
processed without one.)
Number of payments: ___ 1 year ___ 2 years ___ 3 years ___
open until
I inform CAIR
Signature: ____________________________________________________
Date:
CLIP AND MAIL TO: CAIR, 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington,
D.C.,
20003
-----
TO SUBSCRIBE:
Join CAIR-NET by sending the message "subscribe cair-net" (without
the
quotation marks) to [log in to unmask]
TO UNSUBSCRIBE:
Leave CAIR-NET by sending the message "unsubscribe cair-net"
(without the
quotation marks) to [log in to unmask]
>>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|