FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SEPTEMBER 29, 2022
MEDIA INQUIRIES CONTACT:
Press@eagleforum.org
Non-Profit Organization Targeted and Harassed for Advocating Passage of
“Alabama Vulnerable Child Compassion And Protection Act”
(BIRMINGHAM) – Late yesterday, Eagle Forum of Alabama (EFA) filed a reply in U.S. federal district court to the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) response to EFA’s motion to quash their unprecedented subpoena of August 9, 2022. The subpoena demanded all information related to the non-profit’s legislative activities promoting the Alabama Vulnerable Child Compassion And Protection Act (VCAP) since 2017. The response EFA filed in court today is attached and the hearing deciding this issue will be October 14th.
“Today, Eagle Forum of Alabama filed a response to the DOJ’s decision to proceed with the political attack on our organization. By doing so we are defending the ability of all private citizen advocates and non-profits to engage in the legislative process regardless of their viewpoint,” said Kristen A. Ullman, President of Eagle Forum. “Line-by-line, EFA pokes holes in the smokescreen DOJ has presented to the court in defense of their own illegitimate subpoena. Our motion today refutes the government’s quest to undermine our organization by saying our efforts to quash their subpoena are premature and our work as an advocacy organization is not protected by the First Amendment. Their subpoena and their defense of it also highlights how DOJ is trying to attach us to a lawsuit in which we are not listed as an involved party.”
Eagle Forum stands strong in this fight knowing if the DOJ can weaponize a subpoena, any American can be unduly burdened and prevented from engaging in our democratic republic form of government. Freedom of speech, association, and petition will be at risk if the government is permitted to demand irrelevant and privileged information.
Eagle Forum of Alabama took on this issue after hearing from citizens in Alabama, including parents, doctors, lawyers, and guidance counselors, about their concerns for otherwise healthy children who want to transition to the opposite sex. EFA decided to undertake the protection of these vulnerable children and have done so publicly and ardently.
VCAP became effective on May 8, 2022, following consideration in three successive legislative sessions including seven public hearings and passionate legislative campaigns conducted by proponent and opponent advocacy groups and individuals. Final passage was by large majorities in both Alabama chambers.
The constitutionality of Alabama’s VCAP law is the subject of Eknes-Tucker, et. al. v. Marshall, et. al., a lawsuit filed in the US District Court on April 19, 2022. On April 29, 2022, the DOJ filed a motion to join as an intervenor-party to the lawsuit. Eagle Forum of Alabama is not a party in this legal action. The DOJ subpoena is broad, intrusive, and meant to harass. It seeks 5 ½ years of information, including: all private communications with legislators or anyone else regarding VCAP; every note, meeting-minutes, letter, policy goals and strategy effort, speech, presentation materials, research, polling; drafts of the bill or its amendments (which can be found on the legislative website); and documents pertaining to publicly-posted social media and webpages, etc.
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Eagle Forum was founded by Phyllis Schlafly, a dynamic and charismatic leader who inspired countless women and men to participate in the process of self-government and public policy-making so that America will continue to be a land of individual liberty, with respect for the nuclear family, public and private virtue, and private enterprise. For nearly fifty years, Eagle Forum’s network of state organizations has led the charge to mobilize the grassroots to defend the founding principles of the United States.