For Immediate Release

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Contact: Shannan Velayas

(916) 319-2013

ASSEMBLYMAN LENO EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR JAILED LOCAL JOURNALIST AND CONSTITUENT

SAN FRANCISCO— Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) made the following statement supporting basic constitutional rights to a free press after the jailing of San Francisco blogger and journalist Josh Wolf:

“I am outraged by the recent jailing of blogger and journalist Josh Wolf by our Federal government, whose attempt to obtain his footage of a 2005 protest is a clear transgression of California’s Shield Law, which was intended to protect journalists from being held in contempt of court for refusing to disclose unpublished information. Despite these protections, and those clearly guaranteed by our first and fifth amendments, Mr. Wolf has been detained without bail in Federal prison in Dublin. This is a direct assault on the integrity of our free press by an overly aggressive administration, and I am deeply concerned that these actions could have a dramatic and chilling effect on our country’s journalistic integrity. We must stand against the circumvention of our constitutional rights, and support those brave individuals who defend our right to a press that is free from government obstruction.”