Congress to Send Critics to Jail, Says Richard Viguerie

PR Newswire
Wednesday, January 17, 2007

The following is a statement by Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of GrassrootsFreedom.com, regarding legislation currently being considered by Congress to regulate grassroots communications:

"In what sounds like a comedy sketch from Jon Stewart's Daily Show, but isn't, the U. S. Senate would impose criminal penalties, even jail time, on grassroots causes and citizens who criticize Congress.

"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.'

"That amendment was introduced by Senator David Vitter (R-LA). Senator Vitter, however, is now a co-sponsor of Amendment 20 by Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT) to remove Section 220 from the bill. Unless Amendment 20 succeeds, the Senate will have criminalized the exercise of First Amendment rights. We'd be living under totalitarianism, not democracy.

"I started GrassrootsFreedom.com to fight efforts to silence the grassroots. The website provides updates in the legislation and has a petition to sign opposing Section 220.

"Thousands of nonprofit leaders, bloggers, and other citizens have hammered the Senate with calls in opposition to Section 220, which seeks to silence the grassroots. The criminal provisions will scare citizens into silence.

"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.

"Congress is trying to blame the grassroots, which are American citizens engaging in their First Amendment rights, for Washington's internal corruption problems."

CONTACT: Mark Fitzgibbons, +1-703-392-7676 or +1-703-408-3775, for
GrassrootsFreedom.com

UPDATE:

Not looking good:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00002

This link was from an article here: grassrootsfreedom.com/gw3/articles-home/articles.php?action=view&CMSArticleID=398&CMSCategoryID=24
 

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 110th Congress - 1st Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On the Amendment (Vitter Amdt No. 7 )
Vote Number:    2   Vote Date:    January 10, 2007, 12:00 PM
Required For Majority:    1/2   Vote Result:    Amendment Agreed to
Amendment Number:    S.Amdt. 7 to S.Amdt. 3 to S. 1
Statement of Purpose:    To amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to establish criminal penalties for knowingly and willfully falsifying or failing to file or report certain information required to be reported under that Act, and for other purposes.
Vote Counts:   YEAs   93
   NAYs   2
   Not Voting   5
Vote Summary   By Senator Name   By Vote Position   By Home State

Alphabetical by Senator Name
Akaka (D-HI), Yea
Alexander (R-TN), Yea
Allard (R-CO), Yea
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Bennett (R-UT), Yea
Biden (D-DE), Yea
Bingaman (D-NM), Yea
Bond (R-MO), Yea
Boxer (D-CA), Yea
Brown (D-OH), Yea
Brownback (R-KS), Not Voting
Bunning (R-KY), Yea
Burr (R-NC), Yea
Byrd (D-WV), Not Voting
Cantwell (D-WA), Yea
Cardin (D-MD), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Chambliss (R-GA), Yea
Clinton (D-NY), Yea
Coburn (R-OK), Yea
Cochran (R-MS), Yea
Coleman (R-MN), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Yea
Cornyn (R-TX), Yea
Craig (R-ID), Yea
Crapo (R-ID), Not Voting
DeMint (R-SC), Yea
Dodd (D-CT), Yea
Dole (R-NC), Yea
Domenici (R-NM), Yea
   Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
Durbin (D-IL), Yea
Ensign (R-NV), Yea
Enzi (R-WY), Yea
Feingold (D-WI), Yea
Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Graham (R-SC), Yea
Grassley (R-IA), Yea
Gregg (R-NH), Yea
Hagel (R-NE), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
Inouye (D-HI), Not Voting
Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Not Voting
Kennedy (D-MA), Yea
Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Kyl (R-AZ), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea
Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Levin (D-MI), Yea
Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
Lott (R-MS), Nay
Lugar (R-IN), Nay
Martinez (R-FL), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
McConnell (R-KY), Yea
   Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Murkowski (R-AK), Yea
Murray (D-WA), Yea
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Obama (D-IL), Yea
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Reed (D-RI), Yea
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Sanders (I-VT), Yea
Schumer (D-NY), Yea
Sessions (R-AL), Yea
Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Smith (R-OR), Yea
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Specter (R-PA), Yea
Stabenow (D-MI), Yea
Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Sununu (R-NH), Yea
Tester (D-MT), Yea
Thomas (R-WY), Yea
Thune (R-SD), Yea
Vitter (R-LA), Yea
Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Warner (R-VA), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea
Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea
Wyden (D-OR), Yea
Vote Summary   By Senator Name   By Vote Position   By Home State

Grouped By Vote Position
YEAs ---93
Akaka (D-HI)
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Bond (R-MO)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
   Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Menendez (D-NJ)
   Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Tester (D-MT)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs ---2
Lott (R-MS)
   Lugar (R-IN)
   
Not Voting - 5
Brownback (R-KS)
Byrd (D-WV)
   Crapo (R-ID)
Inouye (D-HI)
   Johnson (D-SD)
Vote Summary   By Senator Name   By Vote Position   By Home State

Grouped by Home State
Alabama:   Sessions (R-AL), Yea   Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Alaska:   Murkowski (R-AK), Yea   Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Arizona:   Kyl (R-AZ), Yea   McCain (R-AZ), Yea
Arkansas:   Lincoln (D-AR), Yea   Pryor (D-AR), Yea
California:   Boxer (D-CA), Yea   Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Colorado:   Allard (R-CO), Yea   Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Connecticut:   Dodd (D-CT), Yea   Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea
Delaware:   Biden (D-DE), Yea   Carper (D-DE), Yea
Florida:   Martinez (R-FL), Yea   Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Georgia:   Chambliss (R-GA), Yea   Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Hawaii:   Akaka (D-HI), Yea   Inouye (D-HI), Not Voting
Idaho:   Craig (R-ID), Yea   Crapo (R-ID), Not Voting
Illinois:   Durbin (D-IL), Yea   Obama (D-IL), Yea
Indiana:   Bayh (D-IN), Yea   Lugar (R-IN), Nay
Iowa:   Grassley (R-IA), Yea   Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Kansas:   Brownback (R-KS), Not Voting   Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Kentucky:   Bunning (R-KY), Yea   McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Louisiana:   Landrieu (D-LA), Yea   Vitter (R-LA), Yea
Maine:   Collins (R-ME), Yea   Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Maryland:   Cardin (D-MD), Yea   Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Massachusetts:   Kennedy (D-MA), Yea   Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Michigan:   Levin (D-MI), Yea   Stabenow (D-MI), Yea
Minnesota:   Coleman (R-MN), Yea   Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Mississippi:   Cochran (R-MS), Yea   Lott (R-MS), Nay
Missouri:   Bond (R-MO), Yea   McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
Montana:   Baucus (D-MT), Yea   Tester (D-MT), Yea
Nebraska:   Hagel (R-NE), Yea   Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Nevada:   Ensign (R-NV), Yea   Reid (D-NV), Yea
New Hampshire:   Gregg (R-NH), Yea   Sununu (R-NH), Yea
New Jersey:   Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea   Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
New Mexico:   Bingaman (D-NM), Yea   Domenici (R-NM), Yea
New York:   Clinton (D-NY), Yea   Schumer (D-NY), Yea
North Carolina:   Burr (R-NC), Yea   Dole (R-NC), Yea
North Dakota:   Conrad (D-ND), Yea   Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
Ohio:   Brown (D-OH), Yea   Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Oklahoma:   Coburn (R-OK), Yea   Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
Oregon:   Smith (R-OR), Yea   Wyden (D-OR), Yea
Pennsylvania:   Casey (D-PA), Yea   Specter (R-PA), Yea
Rhode Island:   Reed (D-RI), Yea   Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea
South Carolina:   DeMint (R-SC), Yea   Graham (R-SC), Yea
South Dakota:   Johnson (D-SD), Not Voting   Thune (R-SD), Yea
Tennessee:   Alexander (R-TN), Yea   Corker (R-TN), Yea
Texas:   Cornyn (R-TX), Yea   Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Utah:   Bennett (R-UT), Yea   Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Vermont:   Leahy (D-VT), Yea   Sanders (I-VT), Yea
Virginia:   Warner (R-VA), Yea   Webb (D-VA), Yea
Washington:   Cantwell (D-WA), Yea   Murray (D-WA), Yea
West Virginia:   Byrd (D-WV), Not Voting   Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Wisconsin:   Feingold (D-WI), Yea   Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Wyoming:   Enzi (R-WY), Yea   Thomas (R-WY), Yea
Vote Summary   By Senator Name   By Vote Position   By Home State

Re call?  Huh?

Lobby Reform Bill Passed
But Sinister Sec. 220 Removed!
By Rev. Ted Pike
1-19-7
Yesterday, I announced that the lobby reform bill, S.1, had been defeated in the Senate. The Portland Oregonian had stated that because there were not 60 votes in favor the bill had foundered, with angry Republicans and Democrats accusing each other. We called Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office to confirm defeat of the bill. They said with dismay that The Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007 was dead.
However, this morning Sen. Bennett's office told me that negotiation resumed yesterday, seeking possible concessions. The Senate then upheld Bennett's amendment by a vote of 54 to 43 to strip off Sec. 220. This was our main concern: Levin and Liebermann's onerous reporting requirements laid upon grassroots lobbyist organizations. The lobby reform bill then passed 96 to 2.
I had not argued against the lobby reform bill -- only oppressive Sec. 220. Evidently, the massive calling by supporters of the National Prayer Network and other Christian/conservative organizations stiffened liberal Democrats so that when the pressure became great enough they responded to the wishes of their constituents.
Thank God for another great defeat of those who would have laid burdens of even greater repression upon our rights of free speech and petition!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rev. Ted Pike is director of the National Prayer Network, a Christian/conservative watchdog group.
With God's help America has defeated the federal "anti-hate" bill three times in the last two years. We can do it again, but only if you protest loudly.