Over 100 Organizations Sign Letter to House Committee on Resources in Support of POGO

Dear Chairman Young:

We are writing to express deep concern over your Committee's efforts to obtain the home phone records of the Project On Government Oversight's (POGO) Executive Director as well as the organization's office phone records. Your subpoena of these records violates our country's deeply-held commitment to the right to freedom of association and freedom of speech.

Nonprofit organizations serve a vital role in helping the federal government function more effectively by giving voice to those who would be marginalized, exposing areas that need reform and balancing policy debates that would otherwise be monopolized by powerful special interests. Nonprofits and their leaders should not have to live in fear of retaliation and abuse in the form of invasive subpoenas such as yours.

Your request is particularly objectionable in light of POGO's role as an intermediary working with whistleblowers who fight fraud and abuses of power within the federal government. The identities and phone numbers of these whistleblowers must remain private and confidential in order to ensure that they are not the targets of retaliation.

Sincerely,

Tim BarnerProgram Director20/20 Vision

John FitzgeraldCounselAccounting for the Environment

Laurence E. GoldAssociate General CounselAFL-CIO

Cindy ShoganExecutive DirectorAlaska Wilderness League

Jim SykesExecutive DirectorAlaska Public Interest Research Group

Nan AronPresidentAlliance for Justice

Maureen EldredgeProgram DirectorAlliance for Nuclear Accountability

Clifford T. HonickerDirectorAmerican Environmental Health Studies Project, Inc.

James MatlackDirector Washington OfficeAmerican Friends Service Committee

Steve HolmerCampaign CoordinatorAmerican Lands Alliance

D.W. BennettExecutive DirectorAmerican Littoral Society

Ted MortonPolicy DirectorAmerican Oceans Campaign

Rebecca WodderPresidentAmerican Rivers

Betty SchroederChairArizona Safe Energy Coalition

J. Terrence BrunnerExecutive DirectorBetter Government Association

Barbara BodeCampaignsOnline

Ron DanielsExecutive DirectorCenter for Constitutional Rights

David HunterExecutive DirectorCenter for International Environmental Law

Tim EichenbergAdministrative Law CounselCenter for Marine Conservation

Amy KincaidPresidentChangeMatters

Craig WilliamsDirectorChemical Weapons Working Group

David RadcliffDirector of Brethren WitnessChurch of the Brethren General Board

Kaitlin BacklundDirectorCitizen Alert

Mark LloydExecutive DirectorCivil Rights Forum on Communications Policy

Lynn ThorpNational Programs CoordinatorClean Water Fund / Campaign for Safe & Affordable Drinking Water

Meredith McGeheeVice President and Legislative DirectorCommon Cause

Joan KileyExecutive DirectorCommunity Recovery Services

Joni ArendsWaste Programs DirectorConcerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety

Gary RuskinDirectorCongressional Accountability Project

James LoveDirectorConsumer Project on Technology

John IsaacsPresidentCouncil for a Livable World

Robert DeweyVice President,Government Relations & External AffairsDefenders of Wildlife

T. Logan RussellPresidentDelta Land Trust

Doug KoplowPresidentEarth Track, Inc.

Jon BoleyResearch AssociateEconomics Research Associates

Marc RotenbergExecutive DirectorElectronic Privacy Information Center

Brock EvansExecutive DirectorEndangered Species Coalition

Elizabeth ThompsonLegislative DirectorEnvironmental Defense

Kevin BundyPolicy DirectorEnvironmental Protection Information Center

Ken CookPresidentEnvironmental Working Group

Tom Throop, DirectorSarah Gorin, Board ChairEquality State Policy Center

John RichardExecutive DirectorEssential Information

Steven AftergoodProject DirectorFederation of American Scientists

Jennifer LindsayDevelopment OfficerFirst Nations Development Institute

Joan FlanaganLally McMahon, Forest Protection ProgramJohn C. Horning, Watershed Protection ProgramForest Guardians

Andy StahlExecutive DirectorForest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics

Joe VolkExecutive SecretaryFriends Committee on National Legislation

Brent BlackwelderPresidentFriends of the Earth

Conrad MartinExecutive DirectorFund for Constitutional Government

Patricia T. BirnieChairGE Stockholders' Alliance for A Sustainable, Nuclear-Free Future

Bryan HagerDirectorGeorgia Sierra ClubChallenge to Sprawl Campaign

Louis ClarkExecutive DirectorGovernment Accountability Project

Bill HeddenUtah Conservation DirectorGrand Canyon Trust

Roger FeatherstoneDirectorGrassRoots Environmental Effectiveness Network, GREEN

Bill SheehanNetwork CoordinatorGrassRoots Recycling Network

Tom MyersDirectorGreat Basin Mine Watch

Gary WolfCo-ChairGreen Party of Tennessee

Gary CookDirector of Climate CampaignGreenpeace USA

James C. TurnerExecutive DirectorHALT, Inc. - An Organization of Americans for Legal Reform

John T. O'ConnellExecutive DirectorHealth and Welfare Council of Long Island, Inc.

Scott ArmstrongDirectorInformation Trust

Joseph Mendelson IIILegal DirectorInternational Center for Technology Assessment

Dr. Rosalie BertellPresidentInternational Institute of Concern for Public Health

Joel CarpSenior Vice PresidentJewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago

Rene VossLegislative DirectorJohn Muir Project

Mark RandExecutive DirectorJustAct

Peter HilleChairmanKentucky Environmental Foundation

Stephen D'EspositoPresidentMineral Policy Center

Adam McLaneBusiness ManagerMontana Environmental Information Center

Robert WeissmanEditorMultinational Monitor

Robert O. BothwellPresident Emeritus/Senior FellowNational Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

Phil ClappPresidentNational Environmental Trust

Kim GandyExecutive Vice PresidentNational Organization for Women

Stephen KohnChairman of BoardNational Whistleblower Center

Gregory WetstoneDirector of Advocacy ProgramsNatural Resources Defense Council

Audrie KrauseExecutive DirectorNetAction

Elizabeth CroweDirectorNon-Stockpile Chemical Weapons Citizens Coalition

Tim McKayExecutive DirectorNorthcoast Environmental Center

Iza KruszewskaInternational Programmes Co-ordinatorThe Northern Alliance for Sustainability, ANPED

Michael MariotteExecutive DirectorNuclear Information and Resource Service

Gary BassExecutive DirectorOMB Watch

Jacqueline O. KittrellPresidentOak Ridge Communities Allied ORCA

Sandra ReidDirectorOak Ridge Health Liaison

Ken RaitConservation DirectorOregon Natural Resources Council

Will PipkinDirectorOut Up North

Doug NorlenPolicy DirectorPacific Environment and Resources Center

Vina ColleyPresidentPortsmouth/Piketon Resident for Environmental Safety and Security, PRESS

Richard HealeyExecutive DirectorPreamble Center

David BanisarDeputy DirectorPrivacy International

Don WilsonDirectorProgressive Resources

Sam SmithEditorProgressive Review

Robert SeldonExecutive DirectorProject on Liberty And the Workplace

Joan ClaybrookPresidentPublic Citizen

Jeff RuchExecutive DirectorPublic Employees for Environmental Responsibility

Lucy DalglishExecutive DirectorReporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Scott DenmanExecutive DirectorSafe Energy Communication Council

George D. RobertsLegislative DirectorService Employees International Union

Antony ScottEnergy AnalystSierra Club, John Muir Chapter, Wisconsin

Mike MatzExecutive DirectorSouthern Utah Wilderness Alliance

Ralph EstesDirectorStakeholder Alliance

Felice Yeskel, Ed.DDirectorStonewall Center

Don ChenResearch ManagerSurface Transportation Policy Project

Ralph DeGennaroExecutive DirectorTaxpayers for Common Sense

Carol WestlakeExecutive DirectorTennessee Disability Coalition

Judith FillerExecutive DirectorTexas Alliance for Human Needs

Anna AurilioStaff ScientistUSPIRG

Ann HoffmanLegislative DirectorUnion of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, UNITE

Reverend Jay LintnerDirector Washington OfficeUnited Church of Christ

Chuck CollinsExecutive DirectorUnited for a Fair Economy

Dave RapaportExecutive DirectorVermont Public Interest Research Group

Bill MeadowsPresidentWilderness Society

D'Arcy KemnitzDirectorWildlife Advocacy Project

Susan ShaerExecutive DirectorWomen's Action for New Directions, WAND

Mary Byrd DavisDirectorYggdrasil Institute

cc: Members of House Committee on Resources Enclosure