Fw: [NLGMassDefense] Victory! Press Release (fwd)

NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD 143 Madison Avenue, NY NY 10016

Tel: 212.679.5100 www.nlg.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 10, 2004

Contact: Michael Avery, President, 617-573-8551

Heidi Boghosian, Exec. Dir., 212-679-5100, ext. 11

NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD CLAIMS VICTORY

GOVERNMENT WITHDRAWS SUBPOENA

Legal/Activist Group Calls for Congressional Inquiry

Des Moines. The U.S. Attorney announced this afternoon that it withdrew
the subpoena seeking records relating to the National Lawyers Guild
(NLG) chapter at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Subpoenas
directed at four activists were also withdrawn. The NLG subpoena sought
records relating its leadership and to a forum held at Drake on
November 15, 2003, the day before a protest at which 12 were arrested.
A gag order placed on employees of Drake University has also been
lifted.

NLG President Michael Avery said, "The government was forced to back
down in this case and it shows that people can and should stand up to
the government when it is abusing its powers. The Lawyers Guild is
grateful to our many friends and allies who supported us in the face of
this attack by the government. This experience demonstrates that the
American people cherish their right of free expression and the right of
political groups to dissent from government policies."

Late Monday night, prosecutors from the United States attorney's office
for the southern district of Iowa issued a statement confirming their
investigation but saying that its scope was limited to finding out more
about one activist involved in a protest at an Iowa National Guard
based in Johnston, Iowa, the day after the forum. Prosecutor Stephen
Patrick O'Meara said in a statement, "The narrow purpose and scope of
that inquiry has been narrowed to determine whether there were any
violation s of federal law, or prior agreements to violate federal law,
regarding unlawful entry onto military property?" Federal officials had
previously refused to provide any information about the grand jury
inquiry.

"This is a complete retreat by the U.S. Attorney and an unequivocal
victory for the National Lawyers Guild and the peace movement in
general. The Guild is calling for congressional hearings to determine
the extent to which the FBI and Justice Department are gathering
information on student political groups, said Heidi Boghosian,
Executive Director of the Guild.

The National Lawyers Guild, founded in 1937, comprises over 6,000
members and activists in the service of the people. Its national office
is headquartered in New York and it has chapters in nearly every state,
as well as over 100 law school chapters. Guild members provide legal
support to progressive demonstrations throughout the country, and well
understand the nationwide trend toward increasingly repressive measures
deployed against political protesters.

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For more information about the National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense
Committee visit our website at: www.nlg.org


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