Rep. Joseph Crowley asks DOJ to release information regarding vindictive prosecution of Lt. Daniel Choi

New York Congressman presses Department of Justice to answer Freedom of Information Act request

U.S. Representative Joseph Crowley (D-NY) wrote a letter to the staff of the U.S. Department of Justice, requesting that the agency answer a Freedom of Information Act request submitted last year.

The FOIA request was submitted on 30 April 2013 to obtain information about the Department of Justice's policy of aggressively prosecuting activists. One activist in particular, Lt. Daniel Choi, who led the charge to over turn the military's discriminatory policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," was the target of a "vindictive prosecution," according to a court finding. A pattern of others being targeted for their activism shows that some federal prosecutors may be overreaching in a deliberate campaign to punish activists.

• RELATED : FOIA Appeal Update Regarding the DOJ's ''vindictive prosecution'' of Lt. Daniel Choi

Lt. Choi's circumstances very visibly highlight questions about why the government chose to press federal charges against one of the nation's most visible LGBT civil rights activists. Lt. Choi's activism, sometimes involving direct action, was undertaken to end the military's discrimination against gays and lesbians in the U.S. Armed Forces. After the U.S. Congress acknowledged the harmful discrimination of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and repealed the policy, and after President Barack Obama signed the repeal into law, the government still prosecuted Lt. Choi as if he were a criminal, even though his activism was undertaken solely to advance social justice. Rep. Crowley's crucial letter to the Department of Justice comes as the FOIA request remains pending over nine months after its initial, formal filing. In December, the law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP filed an appeal in support of the FOIA request after it had become apparent that the Department of Justice had constructively denied the FOIA request by refusing to provide any response.

2014-02-10 Rep Joseph Crowley Letter to DOJ - Lt Dan Choi FOIA Request by Connaissable

Here is the appeal filed in December by Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP :

2013-12-06 Lt Daniel Choi FOIA Appeal - Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP - Flores Louis by Connaissable

And here is the original FOIA request, formally filed last April :

2013-04-30 Lt Daniel Choi DOJ FOIA Request Louis Flores by Connaissable

Bill de Blasio never got back to me about his AIDS platform in August

Did Bill de Blasio exploit the LGBT community for votes, only to dump core community issues now that he's gotten elected ?

After mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio took advantage of a few LGBT celebrities to undermine Christine Quinn's LGBT base of support, it appears that Mr. de Blasio was all talk and no action.

After several attempts at getting a meeting with Mr. de Blasio, who will be sworn in as the next mayor of New York City in just two hours, word comes forth of a planned protest by ACT UP at the mayor-elect's public swearing-in ceremony, it seems that the mayor-elect has brushed off any sincerity about proposing a truly reform agenda to help end the decades of official municipal neglect on a core LGBT issue: ending the HIV/AIDS crisis.

➔ RSVP : ACT UP Protests Bill de Blasio's Mayoral Inauguration

Below is the unanswered e-mail I sent to the de Blasio campaign. I was later told by supporters/enablers that I was too controversial of an activist for Mr. de Blasio to ever respond to my query.

Not enough attention has been paid to all of President Barack Obama's political operatives, who have had hand in the mayor elect's campaign and transition teams. The mayor elect's exploitation of the LGBT voting block resembles President Obama's corrupt playbook. Candidate Obama promised to pass comprehensive LGBT workplace protections, but has thus far refused to sign a presidential executive order. Former President Bill Clinton famously curried the LGBT vote, only to betray the LGBT community by passing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and enacting the military's discriminatory policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

When will the LGBT community wake up and stop getting exploited for cheap election year gimmicks ?

Begin forwarded message:

From: "LF (g-Male)"
Subject: Ed Koch and HIV/AIDS
Date: 1 août 2013 15:49:42 UTC-04:00
To: bill@billdeblasio.com, veday1945@aol.com
Cc: "LF (g-Male)"


Hi,

I saw on the Internet that Bill de Blasio praised former NYC Mayor Ed Koch as one of our "greatest mayor" :

http://politicker.com/2013/02/bill-de-blasio-is-a-little-sick-of-bloombergs-royal-reign/

I hope you know that Ed Koch is seen as a failed LGBT leader for having done nothing to stop the initial outbreak of HIV from becoming the AIDS pandemic we all now know. Because he was afraid to come out of the closet, he let thousands of people die, especially gay men. Former Mayor Koch refused to take bold action during the 1980's out of fear of being associated with gay issues. He was and still is seen as a self-hating, closeted gay man.

So, it seemed astounding that Mr. de Blasio would praise former Mayor Koch.

If Mr. de Blasio is going to try to court the LGBT vote, we hope to hear from him soon about details of his plans to step up HIV/AIDS prevention, improving access to prevention/treatment medication, and other steps that he plans to take as part of his HIV/AIDS plan.

I'm writing this note independently, but I plan to share it with a few activists. So, I plan to share your response with some of my activist friends, too.

Thanks,
-- Louis


Louis Flores
1 (646) 400-1168
lflores22@gmail.com

Bill de Blasio appoints AIDS criminal to advisory post

Bill de Blasio just appointed Stanley Brezenoff, who formerly ran the city's Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) during the 1980's under the late Mayor Ed Koch, to be an unpaid advisor to the First Deputy Mayor. This is the same man, who did shit under Mayor Koch to fight AIDS.

Stanley Brezenoff, who did nothing to help stop AIDS crisis under closet-case Mayor Koch. @gracerauh @actupny

— de Blasio Sold Out (@deBlasioSoldOut) December 31, 2013

Scott Levenson, who has close ties to Bill de Blasio, was paid to defeat several LGBT City Council Candidates

Sign our Change.org Petition : Bill de Blasio : Do not attend NYCLASS fundraiser to benefit Scott Levenson

WATCH : Will LGBT Groups Protest Scott Levenson for Anti-Gay Attack Ads ? (YouTube)

@boldprogressnyc @HRC @maslowsneeds Are you asking if Democrats overlook behavior in Democrats for which they'd pillory Republicans? Yes : (

— Charmian Neary (@CharmianNeary) November 21, 2013

The Advance Group, which is providing unpaid consultants to Mark-Viverito, worked for the City Action Coalition PAC, which lists 'traditional marriage' as its platform and supported opponents of gay City Council candidates. (The New York Daily News)

Did Scott Levenson sabotage LGBT civil rights attorney Yetta Kurland's political campaign ? (Scott Levenson : Biggest Loser Of The Week * NY Pop Culture & Politics)

E-mail me if you would like to plan a protest against Scott Levenson : louisflores (at) louisflores (dot) com

… the Advance Group's work on behalf of City Action Coalition-backed candidates conflicted with its work for two of its own council clients. And the outside work for the teachers union raises another potential conflict: the Advance Group not only produced mailers promoting Manhattan council candidate Yetta Kurland for the NYCLASS independent expenditure, but Strategic Consultants produced mailers touting her opponent, Corey Johnson, that were paid for by the teachers union. Mr. Johnson won the primary. (Teachers union paid $370K to fake consultant * Crain's Insider)

Why aren't the LGBT civil rights activists protesting against Scott Levenson and his "anti-gay agenda" ? And how can LGBT civil rights activists stay quiet while Ms. Mark-Viverito uses a political consulting operation that hires itself out to work against candidates specifically based on their identity ? This is discrimination and prejudice. How can Mr. Levenson and Ms. Mark-Viverito call themselves "progressives," yet enable bigotry ?

Who is Richard Socarides ?

Neoliberal openly-gay attorney helped to enable "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy under Clinton administration

Richard Socarides is an LGBT political operative, who worked for the Clinton administration, authoring talking points to help defend President Clinton's discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. He is also a trustee of the State University of New York (SUNY), being one of the trustees that have enabled Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Wall Street banker Stephen Berger to close Long Island College Hospital.

• Richard Socarides Blames The Military, Not Himself + Clinton, For Making Don’t Ask Don’t Tell So Terrible (Queerty)
• Oops, Richard Socarides Again Forgot to Mention He Was a Party To Creating DADT (Queerty)
• The Irony of Richard Socarides’ Disbelief Over Team Obama Defending DOMA (Queerty)
• Gay City News : Socarides Wrote DOMA/DADT Talking Points for Clinton (The Petrelis Files)

Socarides Same Sex Marriage Talking Points by Paul Schindler

Lt. Dan Choi DADT Trial Update

• Related : Are Ronald Machen, Angela George, and Sanjay Sola helping President Obama politicize the US DOJ ? (Lt. Dan Choi FOIA Request Update)

Lt. Daniel Choi was found guilty in trial almost three years after DADT protest :

Update : Lt. Daniel Choi was found guilty and fined $100, which news reports indicate that Lt. Choi promises not to pay -- perhaps setting up another showdown with the Department of Justice, which seems intent on prosecutorial overreach as it is..

Demonstration In Front Of The White House Before Commencement Of Today's DADT Protest Trail Against Lt. Dan Choi :

Below are two pictures of the demonstration, which took place just minutes ago, with the White House in the background. In the first picture, dozens of activists demonstrated in support of Lt. Dan Choi, and, in the second, Lt. Dan Choi salutes the President of the United States, who resides in the White House.

About three dozen supporters stood in solidarity on Thursday, March 28, 2013, with Lt. Dan Choi, a U.S. Army veteran, who faces an unjust prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice for a protest in which he participated against the military's former policy of ''Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'' Legal observers describe the government's case against Lt. Choi as an instance of prosecutorial over-reach by the Department of Justice.

Three years after Lt. Choi's DADT protest, which triggered his arrest and the resulting prosecution, the U.S. Attorney's Office refuses to dismiss the charges against him. The Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela S. George has been accused with waging an over-zealous prosecution against Lt. Choi, who is a notable LGBT civil rights activist. Under the Obama administration, other notable activists have been being prosecuted under worrisome attacks on demonstrations, curbs on Freedom of Speech, and growing restrictions on Freedom of Expression.

Related : Lt. Dan Choi Still on Trial Over 2010 Military Gay Ban Protest

The above photos were posted to Facebook this morning by Robin GetEqual McGehee.

DADT Trail Update From Lt. Dan Choi :

From Lt. Dan Choi :

On Thursday morning, March 28th in Federal Criminal Court, I stand trial for protesting back in 2010 against "Don't Ask Don't Tell."

The federal prosecutor has fiercely pushed this case for three years now, demanding the maximum punishment: 6 months in federal prison. To date, the government lost 5 of 6 protest cases against me, but they refuse to drop this one. Even after the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell," this seldom-used criminal charge against me remains: "Failure to Obey." My applications to re-enlist in the army were denied solely because of this trial. Whether it is to "teach me a lesson," or prevent my reinstatement, or bully those who practice free speech, the prosecution will not give up.

Nor will we. I ask you to please stand with me on this final lap, Thursday morning, March 28th.

The government is smart, powerful, intimidating and well resourced. But I stand on the principles learned in Basic Training: Defend freedom. Tell the truth. Never give up. Please join me, my fellow freedom fighters, international LGBT civil rights activists and people from all across the country who are flying in to send a clear message to the government: We will never stop defending our freedom to speak, serve and love.

Please let me know if you'll be there! I'll keep you updated about special gatherings and organizing.

Facebook Event: RSVP for ''USA v Lt. Dan Choi, DADT'' on Facebook

Even if you can't, please spread the word and forward this message, or consider writing a letter to the judge !

USA v. Lt. Daniel Choi
E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse
United States District Court
333 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20001

8:00 AM on Courthouse Lawn -
Yoga Meditation and Interfaith Prayer

9:00 AM in Courtroom 6, (Second Floor) -
Trial

Love is still worth fighting for.

Sincerely,
Lt. Dan Choi