Date: From: Subject:

2/23/2009 4:05:04 PM Home School Legal Defense Association HSLDA: Senate Committee to Vote on Ogden Nomination--Calls Needed

====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== HSLDA: Senate Judiciary Committee to Vote on Ogden Nomination--Calls Needed Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on David Ogden's confirmation for deputy attorney general on Thursday, February 26. We previously informed you that Ogden has been nominated by President Obama to the second highest position in the Justice Department. Home School Legal Defense Association urges you to immediately contact your U.S. senator who is on the committee, as listed below, and voice your opposition to Ogden's confirmation. The most important reason to oppose Ogden's nomination is his belief that the rules found in the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6077 ) are already binding on the United States under the doctrines of international law. For background information on this doctrine, see Michael Farris' article, "A Deeper Understanding of the Threat of International Law" (http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6078 ) in the November/December 2007 Home School Court Report. This means Ogden believes that the legal rules contained in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are already binding on the United States, even though this treaty has never been sent to the U.S. Senate for ratification. Homeschoolers have long understood the dangers of this international treaty, which contains the core principle that the government is primarily responsible for the education and upbringing of children, not the parents. Ogden used this U.N. treaty in a Supreme Court brief to reach the conclusion that America's courts can overrule state law, using international law as their guidepost for constitutional interpretation. And Ogden successfully argued this philosophy to the highest court in the land. Clearly, Ogden is a proven advocate for the harmful position that international law should be used to interpret the Constitution of the United States and be controlling over state laws. If this weren't enough, Ogden has a history of representing Playboy and other purveyors of pornography in high-profile legal cases. He also challenged the legality of using filters on library computers to protect children from seeing pornography. His record prompts many to question whether Ogden would enforce the nation's pornography laws, as would be part of his job description as deputy attorney general. The U.S. Senate needs to understand that the American public does not approve of officials who believe that international law trumps American law written by representatives elected by the American people. Please call your senator today to register your opposition to David Ogden. You can also use our Legislative Toolbox to contact your senator: http://capwiz.com/hslda/home SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE MEMBERS Patrick J. Leahy Chairman, D-Vermont (202) 224-4242 Herb Kohl D-Wisconsin (202) 224-5653 Arlen Specter Ranking Member, R-Pennsylvania (202) 224-4254 Dianne Feinstein D-California (202) 224-3841 Orrin G. Hatch R-Utah (202) 224-5251 Russell D. Feingold D-Wisconsin (202) 224-5323 Charles E. Grassley R-Iowa (202) 224-3744 Charles E. Schumer D-New York (202) 224-6542 Jon Kyl R-Arizona (202) 224-4521 Richard J. Durbin D-Illinois (202) 224-2152 Jeff Sessions R-Alabama (202) 224-4124 Benjamin L. Cardin D-Maryland (202) 224-4524 Lindsey Graham R-South Carolina (202) 224-5972 Sheldon Whitehouse D-Rhode Island (202) 224-2921 John Cornyn R-Texas (202) 224-2934 Ron Wyden D-Oregon (202) 224-5244 Tom Coburn R-Oklahoma (202) 224-5754 Amy Klobuchar D-Minnesota 202-224-3244 Edward E. Kaufman D-Delaware (202) 224-5042 Sincerely, J. Michael Smith HSLDA President ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Have you ever yelled into the wind, only to hear the sound of your voice blown back at you? It's hard to be heard in the midst of a storm. Trying to influence federal legislation is much like yelling to be heard while standing in a fierce wind. Yet when 80,000 voices join together, they become a powerful force that cannot be drowned out. Join HSLDA to be heard above the tempests that threaten homeschool freedoms. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1939 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. Box 3000 Purcellville, Virginia 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600 Fax: (540) 338-2733 Email: info@hslda.org Web: http://www.hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How To Subscribe: - Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe - Or send an email with name and complete mailing address to: subscribe@hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Information: - You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as: ##ToAddress## - To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an email from the email address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your email address or make other changes to your subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we have for our subscribers. If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ======================================================================