Nurse Investigated for 'Sedition' After Writing Letter to Editor

I've been expecting something like this to happen.


Nurse Investigated for 'Sedition' After Writing Letter to Editor

By E&P Staff

Published: February 11, 2006 9:00 PM ET

NEW YORK Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) has asked Veterans Affairs Secretary
James Nicholson for a thorough inquiry of his agency's investigation into
whether a V.A. nurse's letter to the editor criticizing the Bush
administration amounted to "sedition."

Merely opposing government policies and expressing a desire to change course
"does not provide reason to believe that a person is involved in illegal
subversive activity," he said. Bingaman said such investigations raise "a
very real possibility of chilling legitimate political speech."

Laura Berg, a clinical nurse specialist for 15 years, wrote a letter in
September to a weekly Albuquerque newspaper criticizing how the
administration handled Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq Wwr. She urged people
to "act forcefully" by bringing criminal charges against top administration
officials, including the president, to remove them from power because they
played games of "vicious deceit." She added: "This country needs to get out
of Iraq now and return to our original vision and priorities of caring for
land and people and resources rather than killing for oil....Otherwise, many
more of us will be facing living hell in these times."

The agency seized her office computer and launched an investigation. Berg is
not talking to the press, but reportedly fears losing her job.

Bingaman wrote: "In a democracy, expressing disagreement with the
government's actions does not amount to sedition or insurrection. It is, and
must remain, protected speech. Although it may be permissible to implement
restrictions regarding a government employee's political activities during
work hours or on government premises, such employees do not surrender their
right to freedom of speech when they enlist in government service."

He said he wants the matter investigated so V.A. officials will have
guidance about handling similar situations in the future.

Berg signed the letter as a private citizen, and the V.A. had no reason to
suspect she used government resources to write it, according to the American
Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, which last week asked the government to
apologize to Berg for seizing her computer and investigating her.

V.A. human resources chief Mel Hooker had said in a Nov. 9 letter that his
agency was obligated to investigate "any act which potentially represents
sedition," the ACLU said.

Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico, told The
Progressive magazine: "We were shocked to see the word 'sedition' used.
Sedition? That's like something out of the history books."

In a press release, Simonson also said: "Is this government so jealous of
its power, so fearful of dissent, that it needs to threaten people who
openly oppose its policies with charges of 'sedition'?"






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E&P Staff

I've been expecting something like this to happen.


Nurse Investigated for 'Sedition' After Writing Letter to Editor

By E&P Staff

Published: February 11, 2006 9:00 PM ET

NEW YORK Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) has asked Veterans Affairs Secretary
James Nicholson for a thorough inquiry of his agency's investigation into
whether a V.A. nurse's letter to the editor criticizing the Bush
administration amounted to "sedition."

Merely opposing government policies and expressing a desire to change course
"does not provide reason to believe that a person is involved in illegal
subversive activity," he said. Bingaman said such investigations raise "a
very real possibility of chilling legitimate political speech."

Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico, told The
Progressive magazine: "We were shocked to see the word 'sedition' used.
Sedition? That's like something out of the history books."

In a press release, Simonson also said: "Is this government so jealous of
its power, so fearful of dissent, that it needs to threaten people who
openly oppose its policies with charges of 'sedition'?"

I've been expecting something like this to happen.


Nurse Investigated for 'Sedition' After Writing Letter to Editor

By E&P Staff

Published: February 11, 2006 9:00 PM ET

NEW YORK Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) has asked Veterans Affairs Secretary
James Nicholson for a thorough inquiry of his agency's investigation into
whether a V.A. nurse's letter to the editor criticizing the Bush
administration amounted to "sedition."

Merely opposing government policies and expressing a desire to change course
"does not provide reason to believe that a person is involved in illegal
subversive activity," he said. Bingaman said such investigations raise "a
very real possibility of chilling legitimate political speech."

Laura Berg, a clinical nurse specialist for 15 years, wrote a letter in
September to a weekly Albuquerque newspaper criticizing how the
administration handled Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq Wwr. She urged people
to "act forcefully" by bringing criminal charges against top administration
officials, including the president, to remove them from power because they
played games of "vicious deceit." She added: "This country needs to get out
of Iraq now and return to our original vision and priorities of caring for
land and people and resources rather than killing for oil....Otherwise, many
more of us will be facing living hell in these times."

The agency seized her office computer and launched an investigation. Berg is
not talking to the press, but reportedly fears losing her job.

Bingaman wrote: "In a democracy, expressing disagreement with the
government's actions does not amount to sedition or insurrection. It is, and
must remain, protected speech. Although it may be permissible to implement
restrictions regarding a government employee's political activities during
work hours or on government premises, such employees do not surrender their
right to freedom of speech when they enlist in government service."

He said he wants the matter investigated so V.A. officials will have
guidance about handling similar situations in the future.

Berg signed the letter as a private citizen, and the V.A. had no reason to
suspect she used government resources to write it, according to the American
Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, which last week asked the government to
apologize to Berg for seizing her computer and investigating her.

V.A. human resources chief Mel Hooker had said in a Nov. 9 letter that his
agency was obligated to investigate "any act which potentially represents
sedition," the ACLU said.

Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico, told The
Progressive magazine: "We were shocked to see the word 'sedition' used.
Sedition? That's like something out of the history books."

In a press release, Simonson also said: "Is this government so jealous of
its power, so fearful of dissent, that it needs to threaten people who
openly oppose its policies with charges of 'sedition'?"

I've been expecting something like this to happen.


Nurse Investigated for 'Sedition' After Writing Letter to Editor

I've been expecting something like this to happen.

Nurse Investigated for 'Sedition' After Writing Letter to Editor

Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico, told The
Progressive magazine: "We were shocked to see the word 'sedition' used.
Sedition? That's like something out of the history books."

In a press release, Simonson also said: "Is this government so jealous of
its power, so fearful of dissent, that it needs to threaten people who
openly oppose its policies with charges of 'sedition'?"