May 1, 2008
Contact Carol Danko
202-225-7896
WASHINGTON - Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) applauds Governor David Patterson, State Senator Dean Skelos, and Assemblyman Rory Lancman for their commitment to protecting free speech and safeguarding New Yorkers from libel lawsuits in foreign courts. Today, Gov. Patterson signed “Rachel’s Law,” which would bar New York courts from enforcing libel judgments made in foreign courts of countries where the libel laws are inconsistent with those in the United States.
“Our authors and journalists are fortunate to be in a country that gives them the right to free speech, and we cannot let that be hindered by the threat of foreign lawsuits,” said Rep. King. “I applaud our New York State lawmakers for passing ‘Rachel’s Law’ in order to protect this constitutional right.”
Rep. Peter King has introduced a similar bill in Congress entitled the “Free Speech Protection Act.”
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