The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law - Symposium Re: Accountability After Citizens United - April 29th

The Brennan Center for Justice held a day-long symposium on Accountability After Citizens United at the Greene Space at WNYC in New York City on April 29th. The symposium explored the current debate between shareholders and corporate managers over corporate political spending, new strategies to promote accountability through regulatory pressure points, and the constitutional tensions between the rights of associations and the rights of individuals.


Opening remarks by Brennan Center Executive Director Michael Waldman and keynote address by Hon. Cynthia L. Bauerly, Chair of the Federal Election Commission.





Panel 1: Can Shareholders Save Democracy?

Moderated by Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, with panelists William T. Allen, John Coates, Robert Jackson, Jennifer Taub.





Lunchtime remarks by Charlie Kolb, Committee on Economic Development. Introduction by Wendy Weiser, Director of the Brennan Center's Democracy Program.





Panel 2: Regulatory Pressure Points: New Strategies for Accountability

Moderated by Mimi Marziani, with panelists Ellen Aprill, Marc Elias, Bruce Freed, Holly Schadler.





Panel 3: The First Amendment Rights of Associations and Individuals

Moderated by Mark Ladov, with panelists Frances Hill, Dale Ho, Glenn Magpantay, Daniel Ortiz, Tobias Wolff.





Closing remarks by Sanford Lewis, Strategic Counsel on Corporate Accountability.

MoveOn.org Queens Council Movie Nite "Rythmic Uprising" with Film Collaborator Keiko Tamura on Sunday March 27th

On Sunday March 27th, MoveOn.org Queens Council members held their monthly Movie Night by viewing "Rythmic Uprising." at Terraza 7 Train Cafe in Jackson Heights (40-19 Gleane Street, Elmhurst, NY 11373 - (718) 803-9602)... On hand at the event was one of the film's collaborators, Keiko Tamura...

Rhythmic Uprising is a documentary project that seeks to empower a movement of artists who are using Afro-Brazilian traditions to elevate the quality of life for children in the culturally rich region of Bahia, Brazil.

After the movie, Keiko spoke to the attendees about the making and financing of the film and took many questions from MoveOn members...

The documentary clearly shows that social change can be attained peacefully thru music and the arts...

Click here to view these pictures larger

For more info or to purchase the film, visit their website, RhythmicUprising.org

Cops to California Voters: Legalize It! by Charles Davis - Criminal Justice | Change.org

Read original...

Listening to the critics, you'd think the only people calling for an end to marijuana prohibition in California were a bunch of deadbeat, dirty stoners -- which, if true, might be cause for concern, as polls show most residents of the state support legalizing the much-maligned weed. But contrary to stereotype, a broad coalition supports Proposition 19, the initiative on the November ballot that would legalize marijuana, from labor unions to law enforcement, with dozens of retired cops and judges lending their support to the argument that it is prohibition -- not pot smoking -- that poses the real threat to society.

"I was basically a drug warrior until I saw what was happening in my own courtroom," James Gray, a retired Orange County Superior Court judge, told reporters on a press call Monday. "And then I started learning, seeing, watching, that the tougher we get with regard to non-violent drug offenses, literally the softer we get with regard to the prosecution of everything else, like robbery, rape and murder. Why? Because we only have so many resources in the criminal justice system."

Gray spoke to mark the release of a letter signed by more than 30 retired law enforcement officials in California voicing support for Proposition 19. Put together by the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, the letter blasts the status quo as a boon to organized crime and calls "for new laws that will effectively control and tax cannabis," an effort signers say will dry up one of the leading sources of funding for the increasingly violent Mexican drug cartels.

Indeed, whatever one's views about the drug itself, the war on pot is "not working and it hasn’t reduced the use of marijuana," retired San Jose police chief Joseph McNamara argued on the call. Its illegality, meanwhile, "produces enormous funding for drug cartels and drug gangs and violence," he noted. "The violence is not because people are getting stoned on marijuana. It’s caused by the whole gangster syndrome that exists when you establish criminal prohibition and drive the profits and prices up."

That message -- that pot legalization is less about condoning its use and more about making our communities safer -- is echoed in the letter, addressed to the "Voters of California" and signed by former Seattle police chief Norm Stamper, among other notables.

"As criminal justice professionals, we have seen with our own eyes that keeping cannabis illegal damages public safety -- for cannabis consumers and non-consumers alike," the letter says. "If California's voters make the sensible decision to effectively control and tax cannabis this November, it will eliminate illegal marijuana distribution networks, just as ending alcohol prohibition put a stop to violent and corrupting gangsters' control of beer, wine and liquor sales."

The letter's release comes after all nine former heads of the Drug Enforcement Agency -- that is, the former heads of a bureaucracy with a vested interested in maintaining costly drug prohibition, regardless of its failure -- wrote Attorney General Eric Holder last month expressing "grave concern" about Proposition 19 and asking him to suppress the will of California voters should they embrace legalization. (See Firedoglake founder Jane Hamsher's response).

"The California proposition is not a close call; it will be a clear conflict with established federal law and in fact will also violate our government's treaty obligations ratified by Congress," the former DEA officials wrote, urging Holder to consider suing the state of California just as the Obama administration has sued Arizona over its controversial immigration law. "We would expect the Department of Justice to act just as swiftly and for the same reason."

Photo Credit: Dauvit Alexander

Clean Elections and the Movement for Social Justice...

West Queens Independent Democratic Club
and
Citizen Action of NY

Learn more about Clean Money/Clean Elections...

Invite you to a Panel Discussion:

CLEAN ELECTIONS AND THE MOVEMENT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

Thurs., May 15, 2008 -- 7 PM at All Saints' Church Hall, 43-12 46 St, Sunnyside [#7 Train - to 46/Bliss Street]

Clean Elections puts Power back where it belongs:
IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE

All of the movements for social justice are dramatically affected by the influence of private money in our elections.

Panel Discussion Will Include:

* The Fight for Universal Healthcare Through Clean
Elections
* Clean Elections: A Civil Rights Necessity
* Power and the Rent Wars: Why Are Tenants Losing?
* Clean Elections Here and Now

Why Full Public Financing of Elections?

Clean Money/Clean Elections is a full public financing system for election campaigns under which candidates who agree to limit spending, not take any private interest money, and collect only a limited number of small, individual contributions from their constituents, can qualify for a set amount of public funds to run their campaigns.

Clean Elections levels the playing field, focuses on the needs and interests of the voters, and is a common-sense solution to restoring democracy.

Sponsorship list in formation. Initial Co-Sponsors:

Democracy for NYC, Met Council on Housing, Metro NY Healthcare for All Campaign, Mitchell-Lama Residents Coalition, West Queens Greens, Long Island City Alliance, Democracy Matters, Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens, New Visions Democratic Club....

JOIN US!

For more info, to RSVP, and to co-sponsor, please contact Citizen Action of NY at 212-523-0180 ext 43, kguild@citizenactionny.org