House Judiciary Committee Denied Citizens Access To Public Hearing

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/news2008/0626-22.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2008
5:01 PM


CONTACT: CODEPINK
Gael Murphy 202-412-6700
Desiree Fairooz 817-521-7856

House Judiciary Committee Denies Access To Public Hearing

WASHINGTON - June 26 -

What: 1st Amendment Rights Infringement by House Judiciary Committee Protest

Where: Rayburn Building Room 2141

When: As House Judiciary hearing recesses

Members of CODEPINK, Amnesty International, ACLU, Veterans for Peace, and Iraq Veterans against the War were denied entry with logos or imprints stating No Torture, Close Guantanamo, You are Not Alone, Democracy Now, And Justice for All and Restore Habeas Corpus.

Committee staffer, Teresa Vest instructed Capitol Police Officers to obstruct members of the public from entering Judiciary Committee Hearing Room 2141 who were wearing orange t-shirts. A Capitol Police officer stated, "I'm sorry you can't go in. You have 'Democracy' on your t-shirt."

Although tourists routinely attend public hearings with logos and other promotional messaging, the Judiciary Committee has chosen to deny access to this hearing based solely on the type of clothing and messaging worn by members of the public.

"As citizen activists we have the constitutional right to exercise our freedom of assembly and freedom of speech: t-shirts, the color orange or pink and the words Habeas Corpus or Democracy are not violations of congressional decorum.", Desiree Fairooz reminded the public waiting outside the hearing room.

We condemn the discriminatory practices of the House Judiciary Committee and the specific profiling tactics of the Capitol Police. We remind the members of the House of Representatives that they were voted into office by the citizens of the United States to whom they serve and have sworn to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution.

[mmonk]

1. The new America is not keen on dissent, the irony of someone

being denied because of the word "democracy" on their Tee shirt notwithstanding.

[asjr]

2. Why am I surprised? I should

have known better. We now have the Fashion Police on Cap Hill.

[babylonsister]

4. I don't think this is about fashion. People are being denied their rights, period. nt

[notadmblnd]

3. It's sad, but there were protesters at the hearing with Addington and Yoo

I watched through to the end and perhaps there were no Tee shirts and placards, but there was plenty of name calling of addington and yoo at the end of the hearing.