GOP lobbyist/lawyer Jack Burkman issued the following statement on the show cause order issued Friday by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson following a fundraiser held last Tuesday in a hotel outside Washington, D.C.:
“The actions by this judge to curtail First Amendment free speech rights are nothing short of Stalin-esque. I stand by what I said that night and my inalienable right to be able to say it.
“No one told me to opine or make any comments—certainly not Rick Gates, a man I never met or even spoke to before the event. Any suggestion to the contrary is not only completely false but foolish.
“Having worked in Washington for years, I’ve known of Mr. Gates and his work. I am raising money for him because I believe that Mr. Gates must be afforded the tools necessary to mount a competitive legal defense against the government which appears to have unlimited resources to prosecute this case.
“In our country we are presumed innocent. And that is how I see Mr. Gates.
“Though Mr. Gates has not been convicted of anything, incredibly he was not free to attend his own fundraiser because he’s on home confinement. So he appeared via video to thank his supporters for their help so he can fight the charges.
“The way Mr. Gates is being treated, and the way the judge reacted to a short benign video where he doesn’t even talk about the case against him, really worries me and should worry everyone else too.
“These developments change nothing for me. I will continue to exercise my right to Free Speech here, and wherever I believe my voice and resources can be leveraged to advance and benefit a worthy cause.”
MEDIA CONTACTS
Glenn Selig
PR firm: The Publicity Agency
Online: http://bit.ly/2hWBiU0
Cell: (813) 300-5454
Office: (813) 708-1220 x 7777
Adam Farragut
PR firm: The Publicity Agency
Online: http://bit.ly/2hWBiU0
Cell: (770) 991-3034
Office: (813) 708-1220 x 7778
SOURCE: Jack Burkman
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