Action Alert: Help Nullify NDAA ‘Indefinite Detention’ in New Hampshire

The Liberty Preservation Act to stop NDAA “indefinite detention” in the State of New Hampshire has been scheduled for a hearing on 02/21/2013.  The hearing will be at 10am in the House Committee on State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs.  The bill needs your immediate support to move forward – phone calls and emails should be made right away.

Please contact all committee members to express your support for this legislation.  We urge you to CALL and EMAIL.  Strongly, but respectfully, inform the committee members that you will accept nothing less than a YES vote on HB399, which will allow the full state house to debate and vote on it as well.

You can call in the evenings and over the weekend as well.  If you reach their voicemail, leave a message so their offices know first thing the next business morning that a large number of people support HB399. In your voicemail, make sure to ask that they call you back so that you can speak to the legislator or staff directly.

ACTION ITEMS
for HB399, Committee on Health and Government Operations

1. Call the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Clerk:
Chair: Robert Theberge: (603)752-5672
Vice Chair: Cynthia Sweeney: (603)826-4666
Clerk: Dale Spainhower: (603)750-4112

2. Call the other Members:
Patrick Garrity, District 14
Linda Massimilla: (603)444-5270
Timothy Smith : (603)657-0324
Lars Christiansen: (603)889-0481
Jeanine Notter: (603)423-0408
Eric Palangas: (603)622-4638
David McCloskey: (603)626-7692
Alfred Baldasaro: (603)425-6997
Todd Smith: (603)485-2174
Leon Rideout(603)684-1102
Lorrie Carey: (603)796-2272
H. Robert Menear: (603)397-5267
Anne Priestley:  (603)893-1214
David Lundgren: (603)432-3499
Skip Rollins: (603)863-6340

Link to committee website here – http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/committeedetails.aspx?code=H25

3.  Attend the Committee Hearing.  Show your support for HB399 and for due process by attending the hearing in person.  Make a public statement in support if the committee allows public testimony.

Committee on Health and Government Operations
Thursday, February 21st, 2013
10am,  Arrive Early
RM 203 LOB

Hearing event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/132379443601542/

4.  Encourage your local community to take action as well.  Present the Liberty Preservation Act to your city county, your town council, or your county commissioners.  Various local governments around the country are already passing similar resolutions and ordinances.  Local legislative action present a great way to strengthen a statewide campaign against NDAA indefinite detention

5.  Share this information widely.  Please pass this along to your friends and family.  Also share it with any and all grassroots groups you’re in contact with around the state.  Please encourage them to email this information to their members and supporters.

BACKGROUND ARTICLES AND INFORMATION ON NDAA “INDEFINITE DETENTION”

NDAA: Open Season for the Police State

Scary Potential in Sections 1021 and 1022

Note: while some believe that the 2013 NDAA eliminated indefinite detention, it does not.  Dianne Feinstein introduced a very weak amendment to 2013 – and it failed anyway.  2012 indefinite detention provisions remain in tact – and the Obama administration is aggressively defending them in court.

Also, a case about indefinite detention is still being heard in federal court. Last year, Federal Judge Katherine Forrest struck down these indefinite detention powers as unconstitutional. She issued a temporary court order blocking the use of these powers.  That order was revoked by the appeals court and indefinite detention powers remain while the case is currently on appeal but not decided.

Additionally, when asked by Judge Forrest if the federal government was using indefinite detention in violation of her temporary order blocking it, Barack Obama’s attorneys refused to confirm, leaving the door open that the Feds were potentially using this power in secret, even in outright defiance of an order from the federal courts.

Because of all this, and more, New Hampshire stands on strong ground to reject a federal power which has already been struck down in federal court and is still pending appeal.

The New Hampshire General Court should pass HB399 with full confidence.