Date: 5/21/2007 Time: 5:40 PM To: Leahy, Sen. Patrick @ 224-3479 THE RUTHERFORD INSTITUTE INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS Post Office Box 7482 Charlottesville, Virginia 22906-7482 TELEPHONE 434/978-3888 FACSIMILE 434/978 - 1789 Dear Members of Congress: I urge you to restore the habeas corpus rights eliminated by the enactment of the Military Commissions Act (MCA) last year. Earlier this year, I was pleased to join with a broad, bipartisan group of over forty-five legal and policy experts in a statement urging restoration of these rights. I have enclosed the statement, which was issued by members of the Constitution Project's Liberty and Security Committee and the Project's Coalition to Defend Checks and Balances. The statement notes that habeas corpus rights are most critical in situations of executive detention without charge and that these rights represent the essence of the American legal system. As a constitutional attorney who has served as president of The Rutherford Institute for the past 25 years, I believe that this issue should unite all Americans, no matter what their political philosophy, and I urge you to support legislation that will restore these habeas corpus rights. Enclosure Sincerely yours, W. Whitehead President Date: 5/21/2007 Time: 5:40 PM To: Leahy, Sen. Patrick @ 224-3479 Page: 007 American Freedom Agenda 910 SEVENTEENTH STREET, NW SUITE 800 TELEPHONE: 202-775-1776, FACSIMILE: 202-478-1664 WWW.AMERICANFREEDOMAGENDA.ORG May 4, 2007 Dear Members of Congress: I served as Associate Deputy Attorney General in the Reagan Administration and am writing to urge that you restore the babeas corpus rights eliminated by the enactment of the Military Commissions Act (MCA) last year. Earlier this year, I was pleased to join with a broad, bipartisan group of over forty-five legal and policy experts in a statement urging restoration of these rights. I have enclosed the statement, which was issued by members of the Constitution Project's Liberty and Security Committee and the Project's Coalition to Defend Checks and Balances. The statement notes that habeas corpus rights are most critical in situations of executive detention without charge and that these rights represent the essence of the rule of law. I believe that this issue should unite all Americans, no matter what their political philosophy, and I urge you to support legislation that will restore these habeas corpus rights. Date: 5/21/2007 Time: 5:40 PM To: Leahy, Sen. Patrick @ 224-3479 Richard A. Epstein 4824 So. Woodlawn Avenue Chicago, IL 60615 May 4, 2007 Dear Members of Congress: I understand that the Congress is now considering the possibility of restoring the habeas corpus rights that were eliminated by the enactment of the Military Commissions Act (MCA) last year. It is an issue to which I have devoted much thought as both a professor of law at the University of Chicago and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. Earlier this year, I was pleased to join with a broad, bipartisan group of over forty-five legal and policy experts in a statement urging restoration of these rights. That broad coalition understood that excessive uses of government power against any individual, either domestic or foreign, constitutes a threat to our democratic institutions that should be opposed by all persons regardless of their political persuasion. I shall not recount in this covering letter the arguments that stirred our coalition to action. But I have taken the liberty of enclosing the statement, which was issued by members of the Constitution Project's Liberty and Security Committee and the Project's Coalition to Defend Checks and Balances. The statement rightly notes that the writ of habeas corpus is of greatest importance in instances of executive detention without charge, as is now possible under the MCA. Congress's unwise decision to block the use of habeas corpus should be of great concern to all Americans, no matter what their political philosophy. I urge you to support legislation that will restore the right to habeas corpus that was stripped away in the MCA. Sincerely, Richard Epstein /TB Richard Epstein Date: 5/21/2007 Time: 5:40 PM To: Leahy, Sen. Patrick @ 224-3479 Page: 009 As a former Member of Congress (R-GA), I respectfully urge that you restore the fundamental habeas corpus rights eliminated by the enactment last year of the Military Commissions Act (MCA). Earlier this year, I was pleased to join with a broad, bipartisan group of over 45 legal and policy experts in a statement urging restoration of these rights. I have enclosed the statement, which was issued by members of the Constitution Project's Liberty and Security Committee and the Project's Coalition to Defend Checks and Balances. The statement notes that habeas corpus rights are most critical in situations of executive detention without charge and that these rights represent the essence of the American legal system. I believe, that this issue should unite all Americans, no matter what their political philosophy, and I urge you to support legislation that will restore these habeas corpus rights. With best wishes, Bob Bar Member of Congress, 1995 - 2003 900 Circle 75 Parkway, Suite 1280 Atlanta, Georgia 30339 770/836-1776 Fax 678/384-5745 Date: 5/21/2007 Time: 5:40 PM To: Leahy, Sen. Patrick @ 224-3479 I am a professor at Georgetown University Law Center and serve as Chairman of the I believe that this issue should unite all Americans, no matter what their political philosophy, and |