-Caveat Lector- Please tell other email users about this blatant attempt to violate the First Amendment. Ask them to call Congress to support De Lay's efforts to protect political free speech! For Immediate Release Contact: Emily Miller August 19, 1999 (202) 225-0197 DeLay Condemns Restrictions On Internet Free Speech Political participation in cyberspace should be encouraged Washington, DC: Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX), the Majority Whip, announces today that he will offer an amendment to the Shays-Meehan campaign reform bill to exempt the Internet from the bill's draconian speech regulation. The DeLay amendment will only apply to free speech aspects of the Internet, not to political fundraising. The Shays-Meehan bill is expected to be voted on the floor the week of September 13th. DeLay will also introduce a more expansive bill this fall to address FEC regulation of the Internet. The Shays-Meehan campaign finance bill greatly expands the definition of "express advocacy" and gives more authority to the FEC to regulate political speech. Specifically, Shays-Meehan would require anyone who makes a disbursement or communication advocating for or against a candidate would have to disclose his or her name and address. Under these new rules and regulations, individual voters wishing to express their views on the Internet, including e-mail, will have to register with the FEC to simply discuss political candidates. For example, say an individual wants to send out an e-mail to all his friends saying simply he likes a candidate. In addition to being required to listing his full name and address on the e-mail, he may then be forced to disclose his activities to the FEC! DeLay stated: "Shays-Meehan would throw the first amendment out the window. Under current law, hate mongers and pornographers are protected by the first amendment so that today they freely distribute their filth over the Internet. Yet under the proposed Shays-Meehan campaign finance reforms, political discussion through e-mails, chat rooms and web sites would be restricted and monitored. Under Shays-Meehan, the KKK can use cyberspace without restriction or disclosure, while a member of MADD would be forced to publicly give out her name, address and possibly disclose her activities to the FEC. What kind of message does this bill send? It's okay to freely discuss racists activities, but don't talk about stopping candidates who don't support your view of drunk driving legislation? That politics is more harmful that hate?" Secondly, DeLay is also extremely concerned over recent decisions by Federal Election Commission about the regulation of political discourse on the Internet. The FEC recently issued a draft advisory opinion that stated an individual who created their own website to discuss a particular political candidate would have to file with the FEC if the expenditure exceeded $250. Also, the FEC may regulate an individual's e-mail or a web site that merely provides a link to a candidate's web site. (It is unclear what counts toward the $250 figure.) DeLay stated: "Our constitution clearly intends for Americans to have easy access and simple procedures to participate in the political process. We should be rejoicing that the exploding world of cyberspace - from e-mail newsletters to on-line petition drives to interactive web sites - educate citizens about their government and encourage their involvement." ------> The ff. have their mailboxes are full, so please fwd when possible... LIVERSTANK Neo kook SJones6918 ------> Whatever happened to our good friend, Phestif? DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
