Need Attorney For First Amendment, whistleblower, etc. situation.

[Oak2004]

Without going into too much detail in public here: a group of very low income Vermonters, who have identified possible theft of funds intended for them by a local government employee, are facing some flagrant infringement of their free speech rights, as well as other protected rights. They're also getting death threats from supporters of the employee in question.

They're attempting to go to court pro se for a restraining order, but the law involved is difficult for a non-attorney to navigate, and they'll be up against agency attorneys who may take this opportunity to try to get a court ruling further limiting some basic rights. They need help.

(Don't suggest Legal Aid or related programs: they've been turned down by Legal Aid for lack of funding. The ACLU might step in, but in about 4-6 weeks, too long for them to wait given the threats against them).

[peacetalksforall]

1. I would contact Sen Leahy. There is supposed to be some Sarbanes-Oxley

attempt to establish an association for safeguarding whistleblowers. Start high up. His people would know where to go to find out what is available.

Don't go to AG AG (A Gonzales).

[wicket]

2. Get in touch with the Vermont Law School clinic

http://www.vermontlaw.edu/experiential/index.cfm?doc_id=146

They are all about helping low income people. They are very good people.