"Scott Walter recommends forbearance in his op-ed "Investigate Leftist Nonprofits -- Carefully" (Oct. 23). Yet he adds that "if the Open Society Foundations' claims of innocence are true, they have nothing to fear" from a criminal investigation.
That's naive.
Harvey Silverglate wrote a book explaining that a prosecutor can make a case that the typical professional commits "Three Felonies a Day."
Hiring criminal lawyers is costly, and paying counsel for assistance with an investigation or a legal defense at trial can cost a fortune. Even if the innocent are exonerated, the process is the punishment. Urging criminal scrutiny of organizations based on their viewpoints and associations can therefore create a severe chilling effect on First Amendment-protected activities.
Today's investigation of "leftist nonprofits" can easily lead to an investigation of Mr. Walter's organization when the political winds shift again. Shrugging off such concerns with the notion that the innocent have nothing to fear misses how such actions can harm our freedoms.
David Keating
Institute for Free Speech
Washington” [1]
1. Nonprofit Lawfare Backfires. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 04 Nov 2025: A16.
Komentarų nėra:
Rašyti komentarą