The Militant Fighting Fund was launched to help defend the Militant, a prominent target of this legal assault because of its record of backing and reporting the truth about the miners battle for a union. Below are reports on how support is building. Endorsements and contributions to the Militant Fighting Fund $60,000 campaign can be sent to P.O. Box 520994, Salt Lake City, Utah 84152.
Angela Sanbrano, executive director of the Central American Resource Center, wrote, CARECEN stands together with those fighting this attempt to intimidate the workers and their supporters in the press. We urge the C.W. Mining Company to cease their action immediately. Sanbrano played a key role in the late 1980s in exposing the FBIs covert spying operation against the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador and other groups.
In opening his weekly KPFK 90.7 FM radio program on July 7, Jim Lafferty, host of the Lawyers Guild Radio Show, emphasized the critical importance of the Militant Fighting Funds campaign to defeat the C.W. Mining harassment lawsuit. Laffertys guest was Paul Mailhot, organizer of the Militant Fighting Fund in Salt Lake City.
In Austin, the Prisoners Rights Support Network wrote, We urge other groups and individuals to support the struggle of the Co-Op miners and to defend the First Amendment rights of the media, support groups, and individuals from being silenced for covering the workers struggle and for speaking out against the harassment and intimidation by C.W. Mining.
The statement was signed by Raúl Salinas, a well-known leader of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee. He was also a prison cellmate of longtime Puerto Rican independence fighter Rafael Cancel Miranda.
More than $2,500 has already been pledged locally and $1,100 sent to support the work of the Militant Fighting Fund.
A few days before the executive board meeting, supporters of the labor defense campaign met with John Delgado, a staff member for the local who has been a strong supporter of the Co-Op coal miners organizing battle. Delgado took literature about the lawsuit and helped secure the endorsement of the unions leadership. Local 79 has been prominent in organizing efforts among construction workers here.
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