TRUTH TOPICS:
BERNIE.org > The Truth > PROTECTING KIDS
Rich Tarrant is on the Side of John Ashcroft
Rich Tarrant is once again distorting Bernie Sanders' strong record of protecting children and cracking down on child pornography.
The truth is that Bernie voted against provisions that were supported by John Ashcroft- and already ruled as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Not only that, but Bernie Sanders has voted to double federal funding to fight child pornography. [Vote #215, 5/25/06, H.R.5441, passed 348-74, Sanders: Y]
So what is Republican Rich Tarrant talking about?
Republican Rich Tarrant is trying to distort Bernie's record and create a reality that is just not true.
The background is:
In 2002, the United States Supreme Court struck down the Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996, because it was too broad and could subject filmmakers who might make a film based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
Since Shakespeare's Juliet was only 13 years old, Justice Kennedy said , modern productions of 'Romeo and Juliet' could theoretically be vulnerable under the law , along with such Academy Award-winning films as 'Traffic' and 'American Beauty,' which depict teenagers in explicit sexual situations." [ New York Times , 4/17/02]Once the Supreme Court struck down the law, Congress had three choices. Do nothing. Obviously -- an unacceptable choice. Or they could pass a bill that would pass Supreme Court scrutiny or they could choose to play politics with this critically important issue.
Instead of redrafting the law so that it could pass Constitutional muster, the Republican leadership in the House choose to pass almost exactly the same language that the Supreme Court had just struck down.
Does that make any sense?
Is that doing anything to protect children?
No, it's the same old press release politics where you claim you are doing something to address a real problem but you are really just trying to pad your resume for re-election. Bernie voted against this cynical political move because it would do nothing to protect our children.
Rich Tarrant may support press release politics over passing real protections to protect children.
Thankfully, Bernie Sanders believes we need tough laws that will pass the U.S. Supreme Court's scrutiny so that we can apprehend those who exploit children and throw them in jail.
Let's take a look at the facts (for the "increased sentences for sex offenders" line take a look at the Amber Alert section).
Republican Lamar Smith of Texas offered an amendment to the Amber Alert bill that attempted to reinstate provisions of the law that the Supreme Court struck down.
Here's what a senior member of the House Judiciary said about the Republicans playing politics instead of really targeting child pornography.
Congressman Robert Scott had to say about the amendment:
"This is essentially the same statute. It says that virtual child images can be made illegal. The court has said that virtual images cannot be made illegal. Those of us who are familiar with our system of government recognize that the same ruling by the same Supreme Court will find this bill unconstitutional and unenforceable; and, therefore, the amendment should be opposed." -Robert Scott (D-Va.) [Congressional Record, 3/27/03]
And here's what the New York Times said about the amendment:
"In an effort to obtain quick Senate consideration of the measure, the House incorporated a provision to ban computer-created child pornography. The Supreme Court last year ruled a similar 1996 effort unconstitutional ." [ New York Times, 3/28/03]
The real question is why is Rich Tarrant joining those who are playing politics with this critically important issue.
Let's also set the record straight on what Bernie has done to fight the worst kinds of criminals.
BERNIE SANDERS STRONG RECORD FIGHTING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Bernie Sanders Voted to Double the Funding to Fight Child Pornography on the Internet. In May 2006, Sanders voted for an amendment to the FY 07 Homeland Security appropriations bill to increase funding for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Cyber Crimes Unit by $5 million. This would double the budget of the unit which battles child pornography and exploitation on the internet. In 2003, ICE launched Operation PREDATOR, which is administered through the Cyber Crimes Center. Since 2003, Operation PREDATOR has arrested more than 7,500 child predators. [Vote #215, 5/25/06, H.R.5441, passed 348-74, Sanders: Y]
Bernie Sanders:
· Voted for Longer Prison Terms for Selling and Possessing Child Pornography . [Vote #271, 9/24/91, H.R.2622, passed 414-1, Sanders: Y]
· Voted for prosecuting sexual exploitation of children . [Vote #133, 4/20/94, H.R.4092, passed 425-3, Sanders: Y]
· Voted for Tougher Federal Penalties for Sex Crimes against Children and Increased Penalties fro Making or Trafficking in Child Pornography. [Vote #283, 4/4/95, H.R.1240, passed 417-0, Sanders: Y; Became Public Law No: 104-71]
· Voted for Zero Tolerance for Possession of Child Pornography and Increased Penalties for Internet Sexual Predators . [Vote #521, 10/12/98, H.R.3494, passed 400-0, Sanders: Y; Became Public Law No: 105-314]
· Voted for an Additional $5 million for the Justice Department's criminal division child exploitation and obscenity section to hire and train staff for the prosecution of obscenity and child pornography cases . [Vote #440, 7/26/00, H.R.4710, passed 412-4, Sanders: Y]
· Voted to allow federal law enforcement agents to obtain wiretaps to help in their investigation of four crimes against children. Offenses included under the bill are child pornography, the buying and selling of children for sexual exploitation, inducing or coercing someone to cross state lines to engage in illegal sexual activities, and transporting minors for illegal sexual activity. [Vote #175, 5/21/02, H.R.1877, passed 396-11, Sanders: Y]