Libertarian Party News

July 31, 2008

Contact: Andrew Davis

E-mail: andrew.davis@lp.org

Phone: 202-731-0002

FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY:

Freedom going up in smoke

Regulations would endanger health of liberty in the United States

Washington, D.C. – Tobacco regulations that just passed the House “should carry a warning label about their dangerous effects on liberty,” says Libertarian Party spokesperson Andrew Davis.

The bill, sponsored by California Democrat Rep. Henry Waxman, would give new powers to the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco ingredients and advertising, as well as the introduction of new products into the market. The bill passed the House 326 to 102 after less than an hour of debate.

“Freedom is going up in smoke,” says Davis. “The issue isn’t about public health. It is about giving the FDA new powers to regulate a private industry when really we should be moving to privatize the FDA.”

Davis says that giving the FDA authority to regulate cigarettes “undermines the notion of individual liberty” for citizens who make informed decisions to smoke. Davis also adds that this regulation will create an artificial monopoly in the tobacco industry by Philip Morris USA–the only major company in the tobacco industry that supports the bill.

Critics have said that only Philip Morris is able to easily adapt to the new regulations, giving it a distinct advantage in the cigarette market over its competitors in what Davis says is “government creating monopolies.”

However, “tobacco education is not a problem in the United States,” says Davis. “Both private advocacy groups and cigarette manufacturers spend millions on educational programs. We don’t need the government obtaining new powers to regulate a personal choice by millions of Americans to light up a cigarette when the risk is clearly known. Yes, smoking is dangerous, but government power is even more dangerous.”

Davis says that individuals make a personal choice to smoke, and “government should have no role in helping to make that decision.”

“It’s a personal choice,” says Davis, “and one that an individual should make for himself, as well as pay for the consequences himself.”

The Libertarian Party is America’s third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.LP.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

For more information on this issue, or to arrange a media interview, please call Andrew Davis at (202) 731-0002.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you notice the top stories from the campaign trail yesterday?

Campaigning for the Presidency leaves me little time to watch much in the way of news coverage but a couple of short glances once again confirms that voters have two poor choices at the top and that news coverage is pathetic.

First, if there is one story that the media is missing BIG TIME, and voters should be outraged at this, is the fact that we are down to 96 days before the election and in some states early and absentee voting begins in nine weeks, and neither candidate has told us who is going to be his running mate!

The second most powerful man in the free world is the Vice President of the United States. Given that power and the even more scary prospect (given the age of one of the candidates and the inexperience of the other) that the next Vice President could one day be President, don’t you think voters have a need to know who Senators McCain and Obama think that person should be? Now we hear that another two or even three weeks may pass before we know their choices. The average American spends more time car shopping before a purchase and probably makes a better choice than how they will select the second most powerful person on earth.

It has been two months since the day when my running mate, Nevada businessman Wayne Allyn Root, was made known. The opportunity for voters to get to him, his record of accomplishment and his character has been considerable. Meanwhile, voters wait to see who Senator McCain can lure on to his losing bandwagon, and who “Citizen of the World” Obama will grudgingly name his crown prince.

The second news story was about the latest McCain and Obama campaign ads. Like virtually everything else they have said, they were in agreement. Early in the day McCain charged Obama with arrogance and Obama’s negative response was to say that McCain was running a negative campaign.

So, please, tell us something we don’t know! The bigger fact is that NEITHER campaign is talking about the important issues that affect the lives of Americans. Neither has a real plan that would result in lower energy costs. Neither is going to do anything about $4 a gallon gasoline, the inflation that looms ahead as well as the overall weakening of our economy. Neither has a short term – much less long term – solution to the problems of global terrorism and the combat that is killing American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The American voters don’t get a chance to learn about the issues and they will only have a few short days to get to know who might become the second most powerful person on earth.

Finally, while we may not know where Senator McCain stands on many issues, compliments of CNN, we do know that he stands in a pair of $500 Italian made designer shoes. How absurd is this? While I don’t pay $500 for my shoes, I have to think this is the biggest waste of news coverage ever. CNN spends more time talking about Senator McCain’s fashion than about my campaign!

As I try to bring these points to media and public attention, it is difficult. Perhaps because my campaign represents a threat to the status quo, there is a clear effort to block my access to the public through the media. If you agree that where we stand on the issues is more important than the shoes that John McCain stands in, then I ask you to do three things.

FIRST: Please use your influence to spread the word that voters deserve to know NOW who Senators McCain and Obama think the second most powerful man in the world should be in 2009. And while you are at it, maybe you could get across the point that the media should spend more time covering my campaign and less about the shoes, lapel pins and clothes my opponents wear. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, post a blog on the Internet or call in to a talk radio show. (Better yet, do all three!)

SECOND: Help me spread the word. Please forward this email to friends and family across the nation. Your endorsement means more than 100 newspaper articles.

THIRD: This week the McCain and Obama campaigns spent more than a million dollars producing negative ads and buying TV commercial time to attack each other over which is the more arrogant candidate and which is the most negative. (For me, I think it was a tie.) Please consider a gift today to help us print brochures and mailers that we must get out to let people know where I stand on all of the many important issues of this campaign.

Your gift of $25 will pay for more than 400 brochures. $100 pays for 1,000 bumper stickers. $250 will pay our phone bills for a week so that volunteers in the headquarters can call voters.

Not one cent will be spent on shoes or personal attack ads. I promise.

Thanks for your consideration and support.

Sincerely,

 

Bob Barr

 

Personality Cult?/Culto a la Personalidad?

Bob Barr and the American Republic

I recently testified at a congressional hearing about the separation of powers between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.  Incredibly, there was a discussion about the erosion of your rights as guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.  What is incredible is that we were having the dialogue in the first place.

But, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.  Over the past 50 years, and certainly since 2001, there has been a steady curtailment of the rights our founding fathers fought and died for.  And all this has been happening as Congress has allowed the White House to issue uncontested executive orders and bill signing statements of all kinds slowly chipping away the bedrock that was our Bill of Rights.

I’ve created a short video that I hope you’ll watch.  Then, I hope you’ll take a moment to sign a special online petition we’ve created.  We should collect thousands of these petitions to save the Bill of Rights and deliver them to Congress – specifically the Judiciary Committee which held the hearing I mentioned a moment ago.

While the President shouldn’t be so fast to suspend our rights – even during a time of war – I hold the Congress equally accountable.  They’ve shunned their sworn duty to uphold and protect the Constitution…after all that’s where the Bill of Rights is found!

When I first considered running for President, it was with the belief that I could change the way Washington does business.  I had hoped that I could pressure other candidates and the Congress to respect their oath of office.  This petition will help. 

Please watch my short video, sign the petition and then forward this information to your family and friends.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Bob Barr

More News from Joe Garcia

I want you to join us this weekend.

We’re going to be canvassing on Saturday and Sunday.  Here are the details:

Canvass and BBQ with Joe Garcia
Saturday, August 2nd at 10 am
West Perrine Park
10301 SW 170th Terrace
Miami, FL 33157
Please RSVP with Mario Bailey at Mbailey@joegarcia08.com or (205)246-3932.

Canvass in West Kendall
Sunday, August 3rd at 12:30 PM
SW 155 Avenue and SW 144 Street
Contact- Alex Deus (305)588-2656

Canvass in Homestead
Sunday, August 3rd at 2:00 PM
101 NE 19 Street
Contact- Edward Garza (305)972-6779

Last weekend was a huge success.   Team Joe canvassed in Perrine, Homestead and West Kendall.  We blew away all our goals and met over 1,000 voters and recruited dozens of new volunteers.

Now we’re asking you to grow the momentum and join us this weekend.

Thank you,

Edward Garza
Field Director
Joe Garcia for Congress
305.972.6779

 

Noticias de Venevision: 30-VII-2008

Leopoldo López, candidato a la alcaldía Mayor, confía en que la decisión del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia en el caso de las inhabilitaciones  lo favorecerá para poder participar en las elecciones regionales. Todavía falta que corra agua debajo del puente. Mañana (martes) es un día importante y nosotros estamos a la espera de la decisión del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia

 

Alonso Moleiro, vicepresidente del Colegio Nacional de Periodistas (CNP), explicó que considera que los recientes maltratos a los comunicadores sociales se producen con la anuencia de los funcionarios del Estado. Por ello, exigió al ministro de Comunicación e Información, Andrés Izarra, un pronunciamiento en nombre del Gobierno por las agresiones sufridas por algunos profesionales de la comunicación.

GET REAL: TIBET IS PART OF CHINA

The Western Media still talks about Tibet and China as if both were separate countries. Before talking about this soc called Tibetan Issue, let us separate politics from sports. Politics and Sports are to be separated with the people participating in the Olympics with the objective of doing their best to win and have a good time. If a country does not win a medal in the Olympics, the most important thing is to enjoy the Olympics and to enjoy the venue.
The idea of Chinese Mistreatment of Tibet is all a misunderstanding concocted by the Western Mainstream Media as a response to being envious that an Asian Country such as China is hosting the Olympics. Whether the people want to accept the reality or not, Tibet has always been a part of China. There is one China and that is the People’s Republic of China. The People’s Republic of China extends from Central Asia and includes Taiwan and 300 miles of maritime territory after Taiwan. I have said this many times in the United States of America and in China.

According to the studies made by Dr. Hu Yan, the British invaded Tibet three times [1888, 1903, and 1904] in an attempt to separate Tibet from China. The purpose was to create a buffer state against China and Russia. Historical Papers that were released by the Hoover Institution, Stamford University, and the Soong Institute revealed the same subject in a telegram between Kuomintang Leader Chiang Kai Shek and his Finance Minister T.V. Soong. The telegram verbatim states the following which was dated the 21st of May 1943:
“Soong: Churchill [Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1940-1945 and 1951-1955] said that recently it has been alleged that China has concentrated troops in order to attack Tibet I replied that I have never heard of such a message.”
“And meanwhile, I said that Tibet is not an independent nation, as Churchill had claimed. All previous agreements between China and Britain have recognized that China possesses sovereign rights in Tibet, and I believe this fact has already been under your careful examination.”
Chiang replied with the following: “”By treating Tibet as an independent country, Churchill has denied the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country. It’s a great insult. I did not expect Britain would make such a statement Tibet is part of China’s territory, and Tibetan affairs are China’s domestic affairs.”" This was the end of the telegraph.

Another article by Paul Mazza recounts how China introduced Buddhism to Tibet
and how Tibet has been an integral part of China for more than 700 years. Paul Mazza talks about how the British attempted to create a Foreign Bureau inside the so called Tibet and once forced the Thirteenth Dalai Lama to leave Lhasa. In fact, Tibet should be addressed as the Tibetan Autonomous Region. This effectively buries the lies of Hollywood and the Western Media who want to destabilize the Olympics.
The Beijing Olympics will be a success whether Hollywood and the Western Mainstream Media likes it or not. The Beijing Olympics will be a game that will be different from previous Olympics in that politics cannot harm any good will at this game. I want to reiterate my best desires for the People’s Republic of China, China Radio International, and the International Olympic Committee in creating what will be the Olympic Games that will be better than the ones that occurred in the twentieth century

REFERENCE:
Press TV: “Expert: Tibet inalienable part of China” Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:59:35
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=50550§ion id=351020404

Wang Hongwi [China Daily]: “Papers: Tibet always part of China 2008-03-29 09:48
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-03/29/cont ent_6575290.htm

Mazza, Paul: “Hey, Tibet’s been part of China for 700 years plus” Apr 9, 2008, 00:19
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_31 56.shtml

Bob Barr VS Special Interest

 

 

Every month of this year Democrats and Republicans have raised tens of millions of dollars in their quest to retain absolute control over your government.

For decades they have held a monopoly on power and the establishment there has become fat. Special interests of every stripe feed at the trough of big government.

Big business gets their tax breaks and government contracts and the socialists get more and more welfare and other programs that inevitably fail.

And what about you and me? We’re stuck with the bills to pay for the mess.

The result is a $9 trillion national debt – and your share of it comes to $31,000.

How did we get to this point?

Well, this is what you get when the system is broken and the two parties have no incentive to fix it. The status quo remains unchanged.

One way that the powerful special interests on “K Street” in Washington are able to maintain their access and clout is a little known process called “bundling.”

Bundling is when a bunch of people with similar interests get together and decide to support one candidate for office. As an example, let’s say folks from the defense industry (i.e. Northrup Grumman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, United Defense, General Dynamics, etc.) get together and decide that their interests are best served by the election of John McCain as President.

The senior executives, directors, officers and managers of these companies number in the thousands. Each one of these fat cats is eligible to contribute $2,300. If married, they could also get a spouse to give $2,300 to the campaign. When you get 3,000 of these people to give $4,600 each, you end up with $13,800,000. Now that’s a BUNDLE!

Similarly, unions (i.e. the National Education Association, Teamsters, AFL-CIO and dozens of others) gather together their “bosses.” Imagine 10,000 federal, state and local leaders making their $500 “donations” along with another 50,000 of the rank and file each “voluntarily” giving $100 to their candidates. That’s another $10,000,000.

The practice of bundling is conducted by nearly every special interest group in America. It is how they can buy access and influence government policies in Washington.

As you can imagine, those left out of the bundling process are also left out of government.

I am running for President because I want to eliminate the power of the special interests and put YOUR interests first.

Every special interest group from every element of the political spectrum wants more and bigger government.

More and bigger government means less freedom and higher taxes.
To counter the special interests, I ask you to help me raise $1,375,000 in “bundles” of $100 to $1,000.

I challenge you to ask your friends, family and neighbors for $10 or $20 or more. And when you collect these gifts, send them to us (or have them make the donations online).

A special club has been formed for people who agree to bundle gifts and collect at least $100. It is the Bob Barr Patriots Society and members who collect $100 or more will be recognized online and with a special pin.

For people who can go beyond the $100 level to $250, a special bronze-level Pin has been commissioned and participation at this level will be similarly reported on-line.

Of course, there are some who have many friends who can collect $500 or more. We call this the Silver level and it will be recognized the same as are Bronze level members, along with a Certificate of Appreciation from the campaign.

Finally, there are a few people who can and will collect $1,000 or more in gifts, and for them, we have a framed, personally autographed photo to add to the benefits package.

Like our founding fathers, our Patriots Society members aren’t answering this call to action out of a selfish desire for power and influence in Washington.

And, like the courageous and bold leadership of our founding fathers, I don’t need that many people to answer my call.

Membership in the Patriots Society is limited as follows (with the corresponding total to benefit the campaign at the right):

2,500 at $100 = $250,000
1,500 Bronze Level members at $250 = $375,000
1,000 Silver Level members at $500 = $500,000
250 Gold Level members at $1,000 = $250,000

This combined giving of $1,375,000 will help me get out our message of smaller government and more freedom.

It will cover the headquarters rent, printing, postage, mailing and travel for August and September, plus so much more.

Membership in the Patriots Society is limited. So, please, click here to let me know you can help.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Bob Barr

Sheehan: US leaders abuse executive powers By Afshin Rattansi, Press TV,

The following is Press TV’s exclusive interview with Cindy Sheehan, a US congressional candidate widely seen around the world as an anti-war movement leader.

Press TV: When you began your campaign soon after the Iraq war and of course, after your son’s death, you didn’t really have the support of the American people, how do you think the American people’s point of view about Iraq has been changed since you launched your campaign.

Sheehan: Since my son died, of course when Casey died, an overwhelming amount of Americans still approved of the war and still approved of George Bush and the time I have been doing my activism since he died and especially since august of 2005 when I was sitting in a ditch in Crawford Texas.

The shift in American opinion has shifted dramatically to being overwhelmingly now against the occupation of Iraq and against George Bush, he has a very low approval rating.

Congress’s approval rating is even lower is only 9 percent and today like you said they had the hearing on executive abuse of power without being able to say George Bush’s name, without being able to accuse him of any crimes or any lies.

They had this very weak hearing and of course we believe and I believe the American people are ready for some accountability, George Bush and Dick Cheney should be held accountable for the hundreds of thousands of deaths and the pain that they have caused in the world.

Press TV: Because of course you kind of bowed out last year, saying that you were exhausted and then you were running against Nancy Pelosi after the scooter Libby case? What role are you playing in all of this now?

Sheehan: Well, I really believe that even though the hearings were imperfect and they were very weak, I believe that my campaign which is picking up momentum and excitement in San Francisco was one of the reasons that Nancy Pelosi took the small baby step forward and said that the hearings and the House Judiciary Committee may happen.

There has been so many people working for impeachment, they have been lobbing John Coniers, they have been lobbying member of the House Judiciary Committee, they have been really working with Nancy Pelosi encouraging her to do this, but in the last few weeks or so my campaign, we’re getting money pouring in and we’re getting signatures pouring in to get me on the ballot and I think that happened because people in America are really disappointed with the lack of leadership in Congress to really take this country in a different direction.

In the past few weeks, congress has approved $163 billion more dollars for George Bush’s occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. They have given George Bush the permission to spy on Americans without getting a warrant and they have given the telecom companies immunity from breaking those FAISA laws that have been in place since 1978, and even more importantly, people like Karl Rove and Harriet Mayors and Josh Bolton are able to resist congress and not show up for petition.

I mean when they have been subpoenaed they do not show up, the congress won’t hold them in contempt, they won’t use their powers to have them physically brought in….

Press TV: Why would the Congress do that? There was so much hope wasn’t there? because people widely saw that the Democratic victory in Congress as being an anti-war vote, and yet the congress does not seem to be doing any thing about that, they voted for the surge and as you said they are not even doing anything about people failing to turn up after being subpoenaed.

Sheehan: Well, we do have some great testimony from people who are in Congress right now; I don’t blame the entire Democratic Party for the weakness of the leaders, and for the actual complicity of the leaders.

We found out last December that Nancy Pelosi was briefed on George Bush’s torture methods and what our country was doing to innocent human beings; waterboarding, the stress positions, the torture prisons, Nancy Pelosi and Jay Rockefeller in the senate and both of them have come out strongly against impeachment and we believe it is because congress is complicit in many of the crimes, especially the leadership in Congress.

They’re briefed on what the president is going to do, they don’t make a public stand against torture, they don’t make a stand against warrantless wire-tapping or holding people, detaining people without their basic human rights of due process of a fair and speedy trial and to not be tortured.

So many times I believe that the two party system and the system is so correct that people who are in high leadership positions they can’t do anything to resist the system because they are a part of it.

Press TV: And if it’s so systemic, you were mentioning the wiretap program and people who have been saying that the Democratic convention is sponsored by AT&T, the company and a few other of those companies. We have been covering Obama’s trip to Europe. He is of course very much in favor of the war in Afghanistan. Do you really see any difference can be made given the two party system?

Sheehan: Like the grassroots level, the Democrats here in America are very progressive. They want the same things that I think are important to this country.

They want the troops to come home from Iraq and Afghanistan, they want universal single pair healthcare, they want their environment clean, they want the United States to eliminate its addiction to fossil fuels so we can have peace and so we can have a clean environment and sustainable future.

The grassroots Democrats want that, but now if they say Barack Obama is their candidate they have to demand this from him. I don’t think there is any difference between killing innocent people in Iraq and killing innocent people in Afghanistan.

The people of Afghanistan and indeed the government of Afghanistan had nothing to do with 9/11 and they were willing to give up Osama bin Laden to an international tribunal if the Unites States gave them the proper evidence, the proper warrants and the US refused to do that.

Now, two countries are destroyed. Thousands of American families have been devastated and over a million Iraqis and Afghans have been killed and or are refugees and their country is destroyed and I think somebody needs to be held accountable for that.

Press TV: Yes in deed, there was a wedding party of course and the ISAF massacre just days ago but Obama isn’t for that. Isn’t there a problem about being part of a grassroots movement…well I remember this Ralph Nader, the green party candidates, of course they don’t really stand a chance of power in the United States, do they?

Sheehan: Well, the way the electoral system is set up right now is very hard and the way our media is, its very hard. Like Dennis Kucinich was a very strong anti-war, pro-peace, pro-impeachment candidate and he gets shut out of the debates. Ralph Nader gets shut out of the debates, Cynthia McKinney the green party candidate is a very strong candidate for peace and accountability and she gets shut out of media coverage.

So it’s hard to get people to vote for you if they don’t even know that you exist and in America unless you’re on CNN or on the mainstream debates the people don’t hear your position and that’s very unfortunate.

Press TV: And finally Cindy Sheehan, Iran…Obama was again making comments about Iran. I think he has made them in every city that he visited on this tour. We have had so many comments coming from the White House leaks, press reports, pressure in the IAEA, leaks from Vienna, do you think the US people would be able to have a stomach for war on Iran?

Sheehan: Well I think that of course the corporate media and the administration they are pushing for an invasion of Iran and I want to trust Mohamed ElBaradei from the IAEA commission who said there were no weapon of mass destruction in Iraq and he turned out to be correct and he has said that Iran is not enriching uranium for a nuclear bomb program that theirs is a peaceful program for energy, and Iran is a sovereign country, if they want to – I don’t agree with nuclear power as a form of energy but if the government of Iran, if the people of Iran want that – they should be able to with the proper restraints and with the proper oversight. And the IAEA is the perfect group to do that and to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program stays for energy purposes.

But then nobody talks about the fact that Israel has nuclear bombs, nobody talks about the fact that the United States has an overwhelming nuclear arsenal and we have to start talking about that, disarming all nuclear weapons, using alternative forms of energy, solar energy and wind energy and clean fuel for our power needs, and not to use nuclear power which are the very dirty and dangerous form of energy.

Sheehan: US leaders abuse executive powers
Sat, 26 Jul 2008 19:32:27
By Afshin Rattansi, Press TV, Tehran
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=64841&sectionid=3510302

“The Green Party is the Imperative”

“The Green Party is the Imperative”
On July 12th, the Green Party nominated former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Hip-Hop activist and journalist Rosa Clemente as presidential and vice presidential contenders on the Green Party ballot line. By doing so the Green Party nominated the first all women-of-color slate to run a national ticket in U.S. history. The campaign has less than two weeks to qualify for federal matching funds for this election cycle.

Speaking at the Green Party convention, Congresswoman McKinney said: “I’m looking forward to what we can build together. Our country has been hijacked and it will take all of us working together, going into places we’ve never been in order to spread the news that there is a political party that means what it says and does what it means”.
To do that, we need your help . Go to www.runcynthiarun.org to get involved. During her acceptance speech at the Convention, Rosa Clemente said: “The Green Party is no longer the alternative, the Green Party is the imperative”. You know it’s true, help spread the word click here to tell a friend.

Cynthia McKinney speech at the Green Party convention:
http://exposureroom.com/members/cseeman.aspx/assets/e257ce0e6da7472c9df4e5f9532d2a6e/
TELL A FRIEND: click here.
PS: The campaign has less than two weeks to qualify for federal matching funds for this election cycle. Go to www.runcynthiarun.org to find out how you can make it happen

Officer sues LAPD [Los Angeles Police Department]

Officer sues LAPD [Los Angeles Police Department] alleging discrimination for off-duty Bible quotation

Los Angeles, Jul 8, 2008 / 05:38 am (CNA).- A police sergeant who has served as an officer for nearly sixteen years has filed suit against the Los Angeles Police Department, alleging he was illegally demoted and repeatedly denied promotions for his off-duty remarks citing Scripture verses critical of homosexual acts.

The lawsuit alleges that the LAPD has “historically discriminated against LAPD officers that engage in protected activity and continues to discriminate against officers that cite from the Holy Bible.”

Sgt. Eric Holyfield, who when off-duty is also a senior pastor at the Gospel Word of Life Apostolic Church, made the remarks on September 29, 2006 during his delivery of a eulogy at the funeral of Officer Nathaniel Warthon Jr. at a private chapel in Whittier, the California Catholic Daily reports. As he eulogized his fellow officer, Holyfield identified himself as a sergeant and Wharton’s supervisor, according to the suit, but was clad in black clergy attire rather than his uniform.

The officer’s family had requested Holyfield, who was on vacation and off-duty at the time, deliver the eulogy.

In the eulogy Holyfield quoted various Scripture passages, including First Corinthians Chapter 6 which reads in the King James Version, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminates, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.”

Holyfield’s lawsuit, which was filed on June 19 in Los Angeles Superior Court, described the incident, saying “Holyfield quoted those chapters and verses, as well as others as he explained the following general statements, i.e., men should not lie with men; women should not lie with women; to do so was an abomination or sinful; one must repent or be condemned to hell…”

The funeral was not sponsored by the LAPD, but several high-ranking officers attended, including Deputy Chief Charles Beck. The lawsuit alleges that Beck said Holyfield “made disparaging remarks about homosexuals, lesbians and adulterers during his sermon,” which is against LAPD policy. The suit claims Deputy Chief Beck “acted on his religious biases and initiated a formal complaint against Holyfield.”

In early October, 2006, Holyfield received a phone call from his immediate supervisor, Capt. James Craig, while at home on vacation. Craig told Holyfield he had received “a number of complaints concerning you in regard to the funeral. Police officers, community members, clergy people, and as a result, I’m going to have to move you.”
Holyfield was removed from his duties as Officer in Charge of Community Relations, which the lawsuit describes as a “coveted assignment.”
According to Holyfield, he tried to argue that departmental policy did not apply because the statements were in a church outside the city, he was wearing civilian clothes and he was on vacation. He argued that the funeral was not “an extension of the workplace.”
Craig told Holyfield he would be returned to the detective division, allegedly saying, “you need to revert back to detectives or I’ll have to put you in patrol.”

Holyfield claims he has been denied promotions at least nine times because of his religious beliefs.

According to the California Catholic Daily, the suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, lost wages, attorney’s fees, and a permanent injunction against the LAPD prohibiting similar actions against its officers in the future.