– MEMORANDUM OF SUPPORT –
To: Assemblyman Rory Lancman
From: Brooke Goldstein; Director, The Legal Project at the Middle East Forum
Date: January 21, 2008
Re: Support for the Libel Terrorism Protection Act (S.6687/A.9652)
I am writing this memorandum in my capacity as Director of the Legal Project at the Middle East Forum, and as an attorney licensed to practice in the State of New York.
This memo serves to express my support for the prudent and timely introduction of the “Libel Terrorism Protection Act” (S.6687/A.9652). The legislation proposes a much-needed First Amendment protection for our country’s valuable counter-terrorism authors, researchers and publishers.
Libel terrorism is being waged in the form of frivolous and malicious lawsuits designed to intimidate, silence and bankrupt anyone who speaks out against terrorism, Islamism or its sources of financing. Forum shopping and foreign lawsuits are creating a chilling effect within this country on the exercise of free speech about matters of grave public concern. If enacted the legislation, proposed in the info-media capital of the U.S., has the potential to protect counter-terrorism authors from meritless libel lawsuits filed by libel terrorists who hide in foreign jurisdictions. Thus, it is paramount that the Libel Terrorism Protection Act be signed into law as soon as possible. The Legal Project supports the initiative to expand New York State’s Long Arm Statute which addresses a real and present problem.
The Legal Project at the Middle East Forum is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing pro- bono and reduced rate legal representation to U.S. counter-terrorism authors and publishers.
Sincerely,
Brooke M. Goldstein
Attorney at Law
Director, The Legal Project at the Middle East Forum
http://www.meforum.org/legal-project.php
Goldstein@MEForum.org