Doctor & patients sue White House over free speech violations
Thursday, August 27, 2009 at 8:01AM by aaps Doctor & patient groups say White House intended to shut up opponents
Washington DC -- The Office of the President and other White House officials are defendants in a free speech lawsuit filed by a prominent physician group, and a non-profit advocate for inner-city poor.
The White House has “unlawfully collected information on political speech,” thereby illegally using the power of the White House to chill opposition to its plans for health care reform, according to the complaint filed in District Court for the District of Columbia, by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) and the Coalition for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE)
The lawsuit was prompted by the White House solicitation for the public to report any “fishy” comments to ‘flag@whitehouse.gov.’ Although the White House slightly revised its data collection procedure last week, the email address still exists, the illegal activity continues, and is part of an “unlawful pattern and practice to collect and maintain information” on the exercise of free speech, which “continues in violation of the Privacy Act and First Amendment even if the Defendants terminate a particular information-collection component due to negative publicity.”
The lawsuit outlines how the White House has employed a form of “bait-and-switch” tactic of accusing the Plaintiffs and other opponents of spreading misinformation about the Administration’s goals for health care reform, and thereby refusing to ‘come clean’ about its real agenda.
The lawsuit outlines that the White House knew that the data collection would chill free speech, and in fact, intended to do just that:
“43. As part of their effort to advance the White House healthcare reform agenda, Defendants have accused opponents (including Plaintiffs) of spreading misinformation on issues such as whether (a) health reform would provide public funding for abortions, (b) put “death panels” in place to deny care to the elderly or infirm, (c) amount to a government takeover of healthcare, and (d) increase healthcare costs..the Defendants and the administration have spread misinformation, semantics, and disinformation on these topics…..
“45. By denying and continuing to deny that healthcare reform legislation includes “death panels” that make individual life-or-death decisions on the elderly or infirm, the Defendants and the current administration have ignored and implicitly denied and continue to ignore and implicitly to deny both that their healthcare reform agenda involves rationing healthcare…”
“My hate mail started shortly after the White House issued the ‘fishy’ request,” said Kathryn Serkes, Director of Policy and Public Affairs for AAPS. “We were quite visible and vocal before then, so it doesn’t seem like a coincidence. Who did they share their data with? With whom might they share it?”
AAPS and CURE demand that the White House remove all information already collected, and further, be prohibited from collecting any personal data in the future.
NOTE: AAPS is a non-partisan professional association of physicians dedicated since 1943 to protection of the patient-physician relationship. CURE, founded by Star Parker, serves poor and inner-city communities through church, individual, and market-based solutions to poverty.
The case number is Civil Action No. 09-1621-EGS.
READ THE TEXT OF THE COMPLAINT
REPORTERS: CONTACT KATHRYN SERKES
Reader Comments (11)
I think its great that you have file a law suit. We must stop the insanity of this administration and the Congress that is control by the Liberals.
I am so happy that the AAPS has taken this action! I hope something positive comes from the suit. I work for an MD and we have felt our hands are tied, we are grateful that the AAPS has come forward, now where's the rest of the Country? Thanks again!
Congratulations for your courage. I hope other media outlets pick this story up and run with it. We are living in very different times now, but can't you feel the Winds of Liberty at your back pushing you forward.
Again bravo for your strength.
I greatly applaud the people bringing this suit. Not all of us have the knowledge of how to do so or the the funds.
I say we have real Patriots among us and heros of tomorrow!!!
Salute!!
I think you are right to sue. Everyone in the country should be as mad about this. I am wondering, though, about suing "the whitehouse." As far as I know, the whitehouse is not a person or group. Shouldn't you be naming a specific person or perhaps Obama's administration? I'm sure you have a reason. I wish you luck.
Yes! It's about time! There should be many lawsuits against Obama, Joe, Nancy, the Emanuels, the Czars, etc.
Our inalienable rights are being trampled on and the hope of this administration is to destroy the US as we knew it. Fundamental change = totalitarianism.
But as Bill "Moron" Maher says, we are just too stupid to "get it." You see, Maher has, for many years, confused "intelligence" with arrogance and insult.
Yes, not only sue them, someone should be filing criminal charges against them.
This reminds me of when I learned that the Bush administration was spying on the American People. This madness ends when people learn and realise that the leadership in both parties is controlled by the same Globalist crowd at the CFR, Trilateral Commision, Bilderburg group and others, all set up by the international financiers, and starts electing representatives that are dedicated to the constitution and the principals of individual liberty passed down to us by our founders. Do your research! Ron Paul 2012
This country is deteriorating at such a rapid pace with the lying liberals we have in the White House it is gratifying to see that we are still able to take a stand against injustices and attempts to suffocate our basic rights. I hope this sets a trend for the country. This is the time to take a stand. The fundamentals this country was founded upon are eroding. This is a strike back...
Thank you for standing up for what my father and grandfathers faught for! I am a journalist and my own Illinois congresswoman Melissa Bean won't even answer questions!!!!
These people have obviously violated our rights, and I wish we all had the funds to sue over this!
Thank you, every person helping here is a true Patriot, and we are fighting back with the right message for our kids and their free speech rights in the future!! How DARE they do this in the White House!
I agree whole-heartedly. Since I started studying and reporting, I have come to the conclusion that what the "powers in charge" are doing is monstrously criminal. They should be brought up on even worse charges.
We must take back our health freedom in order to regain our constitutional freedoms that we have lost since 9-11. The only Weapons of Mass Destruction are right here in America, being used against us to inflict bodily harm and death upon us via mandated vaccines, causing irreparable damage and/or death to us and our children and keep us controlled like sheep.
We need to take back healthcare in this country, out of the control of a few, back into the hands of dedicated doctors and other healthcare professionals that truly care about your well-being, those that use wholistic practices and those that "First Do No Harm" in whatever form of medicine that takes, whether it be naturopathic, energy, homeopathic, allopathic, whatever. Right now - this entire system is lopsided. Mainstream medical doctors are not allowed to say or do anything that conflicts with the AMA or they risk losing their license. This needs to change and the public is desperately needed to bring about that change.
We elected the President because we wanted change for the better. We need to take that ideal and run with it. We need to fight our lopsided system by legal means. If there are enough of us willing to do that, we can win and we are winning. Many cases, one-by-one have already been won. If more of us stand up and buck the system - we can win it all back.
The WMD are right here in America. No need to look further. The Evil Agenda is using them for their own aims - Genocide, Population Control, and of course, Absolute Power Which Corrupts Absolutely.
Band Together and Stand UP For Your Freedom Now - Before We All Lose What Our Forefathers Fought So Hard For.
Dorothy Harper, Editor
Harper House Publishing
Death panels may not be need after the H1N1 possibly deadly flu shot is given to everyone. For more detailed info go to; WWW.theflucase.com. and what deadly brew will be mixed in this injection.