You are invited to a Benefit Recital 

Saturday, July 5^th at 7:30 pm

Bay Ridge Baptist Church

6701 4^th Avenue (corner of 67^th St.)

Brooklyn, NY

(718) 238-0555

 This is the second in a series of recitals to benefit Emily Valle.

As a 14-year-old who has lived with two bouts of cancer, the torture of bone-extension surgery and the frequent cranking involved in manually lengthening her leg bone and eventually losing her leg, she remains cheerful and optimistic.  Unfortunately, the medical insurance coverage has been exhausted and the medical costs have become overwhelming.

Lisa Walker and her piano students are striving to bring joy and assistance to the Valle family.  This young lady, who has spent many lonely nights in hospitals, has brought laughs and good times to her friends.  She has been an encouragement and inspiration to us all.  Let us now, join together in our appreciation for her.

There will be Classical, Patriotic and Religious selections.  Included among the performers: 

Lisa Walker, Instructor and mentor

Students:

Christina Bennett

Rebecca Bennett

David Boucard

Leah Johnson

James Walcott

. . . and several others!

All are welcome to attend this recital.

Please come, meet Emily and enjoy the evening together.

There will be baskets to collect donations for the Valle family.  If you can’t be there, you can send your check c/o Pastor Jason Walker to the address above.  Checks can be made out to Victor Valle and in the note section write, “Emily’s Medical Fund.” 

After the recital, Pastor and Mrs. Walker invite you to stay for some refreshments provided by Bay Ridge Baptist Church.

Hope to see you there!

Spread the word!

We continue to fight to assert our first and forteenth amendment rights.  A judge will be hearing depositions regarding the motion for preliminary injunction.  Our hope is that we prevail on all issues raised in the preliminary injunction hearing, thereby, winning on the most troubling provision of the law without the need for a trail.  Stay turned.

Ognibene, Reiter, Conservatives Challenge New Pay-To-Play Law
February 11, 2008

Here’s the long-awaited lawsuit against the CFB that challenged the new campaign finance law.

The class-action suit filed today in US District Court argues, as expected, that the strict $400 cap on lobbyist contributions to city candidates violates the constitutional rights to free speech and association of a class of individuals (registered lobbyists) while also failing to “reach all speech that a viewpoint-neutral law would touch” (ie: labor unions).

The plaintiffs, who include former Council Minority Leader Tom Ognibene, former Giuliani-era Deputy Mayor Fran Reiter, Yvette Velazquez Bennett, the Kings County Conservative Party and the state Conservative Party, are seeking to prevent enforcement of the new law, which went into effect on Jan. 1.

The rest of the Daily Politics story is at this link.

NY lawsuit: Hispanic, black candidates will be harmed by new law

By LARRY NEUMEISTER | Associated Press Writer
7:19 PM EST, February 11, 2008

NEW YORK - A lawsuit filed in federal court on Monday claimed that the city’s new campaign finance law is unconstitutional and will discriminate against minority candidates.The lawsuit was brought by several plaintiffs, including Tom Ognibene, a former City Council member and candidate for mayor, and Yvette Velazquez Bennett, a former City Council candidate. The rest of the Newsday.com AP story is at this link.

Suit Against New Campaign Finance Law Claims Racial Bias

By RAY RIVERA

Published: February 12, 2008

The real estate industry and lobbyists, who together provide millions in campaign cash for city candidates, are trying to overturn a new law that would vastly reduce how much they can donate.

More here.

Court Fight Brews Over City Rules On Financing Political Campaigns

By Staff Reporter of the Sun
February 12, 2008

New York City’s new campaign finance regulations, which limit the campaign contributions of lobbyists and many business owners by 90%, are headed to court on a First Amendment challenge.

More here.