The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has scored a major victory in its fight to keep Adult product freely available to consenting adults.
“The Anti-Censorship Defense Committee (AC/DC) has pledged up to $75,000 in matching funds to support the legal challenge to 18 USC 2257,” announced FSC Executive Director Michelle L. Freridge in a statement.
The federal Recordkeeping and Labeling Law, 18 U.S.C. 2257, became a major concern to the Adult industry again in June of 2004, when the Justice Department published proposed changes to the 2257 regulations and asked for comment from the public.
“The new regulations are impossible to follow,” asserted Jeffrey J. Douglas, First Amendment attorney and Chair of the FSC Board of Directors, "and in at least one instance, defy an unchallenged decision of the Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The Adult industry simply cannot live with these new regulations."
In August, FSC and several attorneys, including Reed Lee, Lawrence Walters and Clyde DeWitt, submitted comments on the proposed regulations. The FSC Board, after consulting several Adult industry lawyers, then authorized the pursuit of two challenges to the new regulations, to be handled by veteran litigators Paul Cambria and H. Louis Sirkin, as soon as the final regulations are announced. Sirkin successfully argued FSC's challenge to the unconstitutional sections of the Child Pornography Prevention Act before the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The new proposed 2257 regulations raise serious constitutional questions, are contrary to case law, and have cast a chilling effect on Adult video and Internet productions,” stated Robert A. DePiano, the attorney representing AC/DC. “Accordingly, AC/DC is pleased to assist in this anti-censorship fight.”
According to Freridge, AC/DC’s generous contribution will cover more than 37 percent of the total $200,000 in funding needed, and will help FSC leverage additional support by matching the donations of others.
To date FSC supporters, including Marina Pacific, New Sensations, Broadcasting Concepts, Wicked Pictures and Caballero Home Video, have donated $25,000 to the fund. With AC/DC's match, a total of $50,000 has been raised so far.
For more information or to join FSC, please visit www.freespeechcoalition.com.
