S.1 Would Criminalize Bloggers, Grassroots Activists

[Guest guest]

Will section 220 rise in the House?

 

Calls to Senators just killed a proposed addition to S.1, the lobbying reform

bill, which would have turned bloggers, grassroots activists, and anyone who so

much as posts to an email list into criminals. The proposed addition was known

as section 220.

The President of grassrootsfreedom.com, Richard Viguerie, believes the

provision will be revived in the house. The following, from Viguerie's press

release, is what section 220 would do if revived:

" Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before the Senate,

would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more

members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to

Congress the same as the big K Street lobbyists. Section 220 would amend

existing lobbying reporting law by creating the most expansive intrusion on

First Amendment rights ever. For the first time in history, critics of Congress

will need to register and report with Congress itself.

" The bill would require reporting of 'paid efforts to stimulate grassroots

lobbying,' but defines 'paid' merely as communications to 500 or more members of

the public, with no other qualifiers.

" On January 9, the Senate passed Amendment 7 to S. 1, to create criminal

penalties, including up to one year in jail, if someone 'knowingly and willingly

fails to file or report.'

 

....We'd be living under totalitarianism, not democracy... " The legislation

regulates small, legitimate nonprofits, bloggers, and individuals, but creates

loopholes for corporations, unions, and large membership organizations that

would be able to spend literally hundreds of millions of dollars, yet not

report. "

 

Now is the time to stop by your district office or call your U.S. Representative

and let them know that under no circumstances do you want blogging or citizen

grassroots activity included in the lobbying reform bill. Posts such as this

would even be included in the proposed law. If the House does revive the

provision, it will likely have a different name, so stay tuned to your trusted

news sites in the coming weeks.

 

Office addresses, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses for Congress

are available at www.house.gov.

 

Sincerely,Scott Darby

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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