The fight is on. 2014 was important. 2015 can be decisive.
Constitutional rights abuses have been exposed and laid bare — as seen in the torture report, the mass surveillance systems, the attacks on whistleblowers, the spying on peaceful protest and the repression against First Amendment activity. But rather than passively accepting government and corporate abuses, 2014 was the year the people struck back.
The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund has been at the forefront as a legal arm of this movement to reverse the tides and defend the Constitution.
Many of these abuses had for years been kept hush-hush, in the shadows, and out of sight for the American people. Thanks to heroic whistleblowers and the tireless work of advocates, researches and non-profit organizations, that day has passed. Now the undeniable truth is out about the trampling of civil rights and civil liberties. More and more people are voicing their outrage, holding their elected representatives' feet to the fire, taking to the streets and demanding change.
We are writing because today is the last day to make a tax-deductible donation to the PCJF for 2014 and thanks to a generous matching grant, first-time donors will have their gifts doubled! If you are a previous supporter, the amount you increase your giving from past donations will be doubled. If you prefer to write a check, make it out to Partnership for Civil Justice Fund; 617 Florida Avenue NW; Washington DC 20001.
The PCJF has mounted a series of high-profile campaigns and undertaken groundbreaking litigation this year -- this work will carry into 2015 as we also step forward to take on new challenges. The institutions we are up against have enormous resources to frustrate the calls for reform. We need your help.
This year we celebrated a major legal victory for the civil case of Occupy Wall Street protesters who were trapped and falsely arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge in 2011. The City of New York and the NYPD, however, are trying to overturn this court victory, and seeking the authority to mass arrest and sweep the streets of peaceful protesters without warning. The PCJF's legal fight is the only obstacle in their way.
The PCJF's multi-year investigation of the DHS-funded Fusion Centers broke into the public view and mass media, generating a movement to de-fund these centers for their abuse of their anti-terrorism authority to spy on peaceful protest movements and political activity in the United States.
PCJF litigation scored a significant victory on behalf of former CIA analyst and peace activist Ray McGovern, who was brutally and falsely arrested during a speech of then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and put on a State Dept. watch-list. The directive to stop Mr. McGovern on sight has been rescinded, and we continue to fight for justice and accountability for Mr. McGovern in ongoing litigation.
Thousands of people responded to an urgent PCJF campaign this fall to keep the Secret Service from banning free speech around the White House following that agency's security breakdowns. That campaign has succeeded in pushing back proposals to restrict First Amendment activity at the White House sidewalk.
The explosive movement against police brutality and misconduct has rocked the country and energized the calls for social justice nationwide. PCJF's landmark legal work securing court rulings in defense of protester rights have served as a check on police conduct at these activities, and gave space for this movement to grow. We are proud to be offering pro bono legal support to the movement in Ferguson, New York, Washington, D.C. and across the country.
This is just a small sample of the many fronts that the PCJF is working on as we enter 2015. We are advancing ahead to fight for another year of victories and breakthroughs -- but we need your support to do it.
We are not funded by the big institutional donors and the corporations. We fight for the people and it is the commitment of individuals who share our vision that has allowed the PCJF to take on the biggest challenges and win.
Constitutional rights abuses have been exposed and laid bare — as seen in the torture report, the mass surveillance systems, the attacks on whistleblowers, the spying on peaceful protest and the repression against First Amendment activity. But rather than passively accepting government and corporate abuses, 2014 was the year the people struck back.
The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund has been at the forefront as a legal arm of this movement to reverse the tides and defend the Constitution.
Many of these abuses had for years been kept hush-hush, in the shadows, and out of sight for the American people. Thanks to heroic whistleblowers and the tireless work of advocates, researches and non-profit organizations, that day has passed. Now the undeniable truth is out about the trampling of civil rights and civil liberties. More and more people are voicing their outrage, holding their elected representatives' feet to the fire, taking to the streets and demanding change.
We are writing because today is the last day to make a tax-deductible donation to the PCJF for 2014 and thanks to a generous matching grant, first-time donors will have their gifts doubled! If you are a previous supporter, the amount you increase your giving from past donations will be doubled. If you prefer to write a check, make it out to Partnership for Civil Justice Fund; 617 Florida Avenue NW; Washington DC 20001.
The PCJF has mounted a series of high-profile campaigns and undertaken groundbreaking litigation this year -- this work will carry into 2015 as we also step forward to take on new challenges. The institutions we are up against have enormous resources to frustrate the calls for reform. We need your help.
This year we celebrated a major legal victory for the civil case of Occupy Wall Street protesters who were trapped and falsely arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge in 2011. The City of New York and the NYPD, however, are trying to overturn this court victory, and seeking the authority to mass arrest and sweep the streets of peaceful protesters without warning. The PCJF's legal fight is the only obstacle in their way.
The PCJF's multi-year investigation of the DHS-funded Fusion Centers broke into the public view and mass media, generating a movement to de-fund these centers for their abuse of their anti-terrorism authority to spy on peaceful protest movements and political activity in the United States.
PCJF litigation scored a significant victory on behalf of former CIA analyst and peace activist Ray McGovern, who was brutally and falsely arrested during a speech of then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and put on a State Dept. watch-list. The directive to stop Mr. McGovern on sight has been rescinded, and we continue to fight for justice and accountability for Mr. McGovern in ongoing litigation.
Thousands of people responded to an urgent PCJF campaign this fall to keep the Secret Service from banning free speech around the White House following that agency's security breakdowns. That campaign has succeeded in pushing back proposals to restrict First Amendment activity at the White House sidewalk.
The explosive movement against police brutality and misconduct has rocked the country and energized the calls for social justice nationwide. PCJF's landmark legal work securing court rulings in defense of protester rights have served as a check on police conduct at these activities, and gave space for this movement to grow. We are proud to be offering pro bono legal support to the movement in Ferguson, New York, Washington, D.C. and across the country.
This is just a small sample of the many fronts that the PCJF is working on as we enter 2015. We are advancing ahead to fight for another year of victories and breakthroughs -- but we need your support to do it.
We are not funded by the big institutional donors and the corporations. We fight for the people and it is the commitment of individuals who share our vision that has allowed the PCJF to take on the biggest challenges and win.
Today is the last day to make a tax-deductible donation to the PCJF for 2014 and thanks to a generous matching grant, all first-time donors will have their gifts doubled! If you are a previous supporter, the amount you increase your giving from past donations will be doubled.
Thank you for your continued support and your work in the fight for justice.
Thank you for your continued support and your work in the fight for justice.
Sincerely,
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 Mara Verheyden-Hilliard PCJF Executive Director |
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 Carl Messineo PCJF Legal Director |
