Representative John Yarmuth
1815 Brownsboro Road Ste. 100
Louisville, KY 40206

Dear Representative Yarmuth:

Congratulations from the Society of Professional Journalists on your election to Congress.

As you know from your membership, the Society continues to work tirelessly to improve and protect journalism. Members like you are dedicated to the perpetuation of a free press as the cornerstone of our nation and our liberty. We believe the American people must be well informed to make decisions regarding their lives and their community.

Given your admirable work as an award-winning journalist and supporter of the First Amendment, we hope you will support policies that encourage a climate where journalism can be practiced freely, so that the public can make informed decisions.

Members of the Society are pushing valiently for a federal shield law that would afford journalists greater protections. As a member of the journalism community, you know that prosecutors are less constrained about forcing other journalists to act as an additional arm of law enforcement. Therefore, a shield law has become essential because judges have set aside the partial protections recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in its Branzburg v. Hayes ruling. Learn more about the need for a federal shield law and how it can help journalists and the public at www.spj.org/shieldlaw.asp. During your term in the House, we hope we can count on you to help pass a federal shield law.

Please know that you – and anyone from your staff – are welcome to contact me anytime with questions about the Society or any of the positions for which we stand.

Again, I extend hearty congratulations on your victory.

Sincerely,


Christine Tatum
President
Society of Professional Journalists