CANOGA PARK, Calif. - Free Speech Coalition Executive Director Diane Duke announced today that due to budget constraints, FSC is scheduled to lay off Kat Sunlove, director of legislative affairs, and Layne Winklebleck, legislative affairs associate, at the end of December.
In order to cut costs and consolidate operational expenses, FSC plans to outsource its California lobbying activities. FSC’s federal lobbying efforts will be continued through The Raben Group of Washington, D.C.
“Lobbying is a priority for FSC but the overhead and expense of staffing a separate lobbying office is too great,” said Duke. “With the added expense that comes from FSC’s 18 USC 2257 as well as the FSC v. Utah litigation, we must scrutinize every dollar.”
Sunlove, who has a Master's degree in Political Science and years of experience in campaign politics, entered the adult industry more than 25 years ago as a journalist, penning a sexual advice column, The Kat Box. A strong free speech advocate, Sunlove served as publisher of an adult newspaper, as a sex educator and for the last decade, as an effective lobbyist for the adult entertainment trade group. For almost a year during 2004, Sunlove served both as lobbyist and as Interim Executive Director of FSC, while the group searched for a full-time executive.
Layne, who holds a Master's in Social Work, has also had extensive experience in adult entertainment and in recent years has served as Sunlove’s associate, editing the popular weekly Free Speech X-Press newsletter and a number of issues of the Free Speaker magazine.
“Two of the institutions established by Kat and Layne, the Free Speech X-Press and our annual Celebrate Free Speech Lobbying Days in Sacramento, have had as much impact on both the organization and the individual members as any activity undertaken by the Coalition,” said Jeffrey Douglas, FSC board chair. “We are eternally grateful for their contribution."
