NEW YORK - August 3 - The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will hold a teleconference TODAY, August 3, at 11:30 a.m. EDT to discuss the details of their lawsuit challenging the legality of a scheme that requires attorneys to seek a license from the government before providing legal counsel that benefits individuals who have been designated as terrorists. This licensing scheme makes it a crime for lawyers to provide representation benefitting individuals designated by the Treasury Department as "specially designated global terrorists," without first seeking a license from the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC). CCR and the ACLU have sought a license, but OFAC has thus far not provided one despite urgent circumstances.

This licensing scheme is preventing CCR and the ACLU from challenging the claimed authority of the executive branch to impose a death penalty on people - including American citizens - far from any battlefield, without due process. While there are circumstances in which the government can legitimately use lethal force against civilians, the authority claimed by senior Obama administration officials is far broader than what the Constitution and international law allow.

WHAT:
Teleconference to announce the details of a joint ACLU and CCR lawsuit challenging the statute that requires attorneys to receive a license before providing counsel benefitting people designated as terrorists by the Treasury Department.

WHO:
Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU
Vince Warren, Executive Director of CCR
Attorneys from CCR and the ACLU will be on the call to take questions.

WHEN:
TODAY, August 3, 2010
11:30 a.m. EDT

CALL-IN DETAILS:
(800) 288-9626 (United States)
(612) 332-0335 (International)