Labor-Rap@csf.colorado.edu; Sun, 19 Jul 1998 15:39:32 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sun, 19 Jul 1998 15:39:32 -0400 (EDT) From: Dan Clawson Subject: Support Kate Bronfenbrenner To: Labor-Rap@csf.colorado.edu Want to support Kate Bronfenbrenner but don't know how to do it? Here is a sample message that could be sent to your member(s) of Congress AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Your member's local office can be found in the white pages of the phone book, under United States government, Congress; or through their web page (http://www.senate.gov or http://www.house.gov/); or by calling Washington DC information. If you want to help Kate Bronfenbrenner's defense in other ways, Scholars Artists and Writers for Social Justice (SAWSJ) is beginning a campaign; email Clayton Sinyai (csinyai@rci.rutgers.edu) if you'd like to help. The message: I write, as an interested citizen and as someone who might testify before Congress, to urge you to sign the bi-partisan amicus brief being prepared by Congressman Lane Evans. Here is a brief explanation of why you should do so. Professor Kate Bronfenbrenner of Cornell University was asked to testify to a Congressional Town Meeting concerning legislation that had been introduced. Five members of Congress, from both parties, were in attendance when she testified that in her research she had found that Beverly Enterprises had repeatedly violated labor laws, facts relevant to the legislation under consideration (that serious labor law violators not be eligible for federal contracts). Beverly Enterprises sued her for her testimony; a judge threw out the case, ruling that Professor Bronfenbrenner enjoyed testimentary immunity for her remarks; Beverly has appealed that ruling. The amicus brief does not examine the merits of her remarks; it argues only that experts asked to testify before Congressional Town Meetings should enjoy immunity for their testimony. I strongly urge you to contact Congressman Lane Evans' office (call Cori Shropshire, 202-225-5905) and add your name to this friend of the court brief. If experts are sued for their testimony before Congressional panels, who will ever again be willing to testify? Please act at once -- the press conference announcing the filing of the brief is scheduled for July 27. Thank you for your attention and support. -- Dan Clawson 413-545-5974 (work) Dept. of Sociology 413-545-0746 (fax) W-36 Machmer Hall 413-586-6235 (home) Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst MA 01003 email = clawson@sadri.umass.edu