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Action Alert! Write Your State Atto



Subject: Action Alert! Write Your State Attorney General

NEW ENGLAND BURMA ROUNDTABLE

Action Alert! Write Your State Attorney General & Member of Congress

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September 21, 1999

1. Massachusetts Files With U.S. Supreme Court
2. Write Your State Attorney General & Member of Congress
3  Sample Letter
4. List of State Attorneys General
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1. Massachusetts Files With U.S. Supreme Court

On September 17, Massachusetts filed its Petition for Certiorari and
supporting brief with the U.S. Supreme Court asking the court to review the
case of the Massachusetts Burma Law.

On June 22, 1999, the Massachusetts Burma Law was struck down in federal
appeals court. The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), which represents
major multinational corporations, brought the case. The NFTC claims that
the law is unconstitutional. But this decision - if it stands - would
greatly restrict our ability as citizens to direct how our elected
officials spend our tax money. 

Modeled on similar anti-apartheid statutes, the Massachusetts Burma Law
effectively barred the state from buying goods or services from companies
that did business in Burma. Had the courts struck down South Africa-related
laws in the 1980's, Nelson Mandela might still be in prison today.
=========================================================

2. Write Your State Attorney General & Member of Congress

There will be several amicus - or "friend of the court" - briefs filed in
support of the Massachusetts petition on the Burma Law, and these are due
on October 20th.  Those filing the amicus briefs will likely include:

* state attorneys general;
* local governments;
* members of Congress; and
* nonprofit organizations that support human rights, consumer protection
and environmental protection.

It is crucial that - over the next three weeks - we send as many letters as
possible to our state attorneys general and Members of Congress to urge
them to sign on to these amicus briefs.
=======================================================

3.  Sample Letter

[Please remember to write both your state attorney general (name, address
and fax number below) and your Member of Congress - check:
<http://thomas.loc.gov/> for your Member's contact information.]

Start your letter: "Dear Attorney General _____" "Dear Representative
________" or "Dear Senator __________" as appropriate.

I am writing to urge that you sign on an amicus brief to be filed with the
U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Massachusetts Burma selective
purchasing law.

[Include a paragraph describing yourself and your roots in the local
community.]

On June 22, 1999, the Boston Federal Appeals Court struck down the
Massachusetts Burma Law. Sponsored by state rep. Byron Rushing, this law
effectively barred companies that do business with the Burmese military
junta from receiving state procurement contracts. On September 17, the
Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly filed its Petition for Certiorari
and supporting brief with the U.S. Supreme Court asking the court to review
the case of the Massachusetts Burma Law.

How Massachusetts - or any state -spends its tax dollars is matter for the
citizens of Massachusetts and their elected officials. It is a violation of
state sovereignty and local democracy for the federal government or
corporations to try to micro-manage state or local spending.

Inspired by the anti- apartheid campaign, Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace
Prize laureate and leader of the Burmese democracy movement, has called for
economic sanctions on Burma to press the ruling military junta to restore
democracy in that country. She has described selective purchasing laws -
such as the Massachusetts Burma Law - as an effective way of supporting the
Burmese democracy movement.

I urge you to offer your support in defending the Massachusetts Burma Law.
I specifically urge you to sign on the amicus brief in support of the
petition filed by Massachusetts on September 20 asking the U.S. Supreme
Court to hear the case. To do this, please contact either Thomas Barnico
(x2086) or Jim Sweeney (x3321), both Massachusetts Assistant Attorneys
General at (617) 727-2200.

I look forward to your support on this critical issue. Please write back
and tell me what action you intend to take.

***************

Please send copies of your letter to:

Simon Billenness
New England Burma Roundtable 
c/o Trillium Asset Management, 711 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 423-6655, x225
(617) 482-6179 - fax
sbillenness@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.trilliuminvest.com

Assistant Attorney General Tom Barnico
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108.
(617) 727-5785 - fax
====================================

5. List of State Attorneys General

STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL

Alabama
Honorable Bill Pryor
Attorney General of Alabama
Office of the Attorney General
State House
11 South Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
PHO:(334) 242-7300
FAX: 334-242-7458

Alaska
Honorable Bruce M. Botelho
Attorney General of Alaska
Office of the Attorney General
Post Office Box 110300
Diamond Courthouse
Juneau, AK 99811-0300
PHO:(907) 465-3600
FAX: 907-465-2075

Arizona
Honorable Janet Napolitano
Attorney General of Arizona
Office of the Attorney General
1275 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
PHO:(602) 542-4266
FAX: 602-542-4085

Arkansas
Honorable Mark Pryor
Attorney General of Arkansas
Office of the Attorney General
200 Tower Building, 323 Center Street
Little Rock, AR 72201-2610
PHO:(501) 682-2007
FAX: 501-682-8084

California
Honorable Bill Lockyer
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 944255
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
PHO: (916) 445-9555
FAX: 916-322-5341

Colorado
Honorable Ken Salazar
Attorney General of Colorado
Office of the Attorney General
Department of Law
1525 Sherman Street
Denver, CO 80203
PHO:(303) 866-3052
FAX: 303-866-3955

Connecticut
Honorable Richard Blumenthal
Attorney General of Connecticut
Office of the Attorney General
55 Elm Street
Hartford, CT 06141-0120
PHO:(860) 808-5318
FAX: 860-808-5387

Delaware
Honorable M. Jane Brady
Attorney General of Delaware
Office of the Attorney General
Carvel State Office Building
820 North French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
PHO:(302) 577-8600
FAX: 302-577-6499

Florida
Honorable Robert A. Butterworth
Attorney General of Florida
Office of the Attorney General
The Capitol
PL 01
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050
PHO:(850) 487-1963
FAX: 850-487-2564

Georgia
Honorable Thurbert E. Baker
Attorney General of Georgia
Office of the Attorney General
40 Capitol Square, S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30334-1300
PHO:(404) 656-4585
FAX: 404-657-8733

Hawaii
Honorable Margery S. Bronster
Attorney General of Hawaii
Office of the Attorney General
425 Queen Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
PHO:(808) 586-1282
FAX: 808-586-1239

Idaho
Honorable Alan G. Lance
Attorney General of Idaho
Office of the Attorney General
Statehouse
Boise, ID 83720-1000
PHO:(208) 334-2400
FAX: 208-334-2530

Illinois
Honorable Jim Ryan
Attorney General of Illinois
Office of the Attorney General
James R. Thompson Center
100 West Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601
PHO:(312) 814-2503
FAX: 312-814-5024

Indiana
Honorable Jeffrey A. Modisett
Attorney General of Indiana
Office of the Attorney General
Indiana Government Center South
Fifth Floor
402 West Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
PHO:(317) 233-4386
FAX: 317-232-7979

Iowa
Honorable Tom Miller
Attorney General of Iowa
Office of the Attorney General
Hoover State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
PHO:(515) 281-5164
FAX: 515-281-4209

Kansas
Honorable Carla J. Stovall
Attorney General of Kansas
Office of the Attorney General
Judicial Building
301 West Tenth Street
Topeka, KS 66612-1597
PHO:(785) 296-2215
FAX: 785-296-6296

Kentucky
Honorable Albert Benjamin "Ben" Chandler III
Attorney General of Kentucky
Office of the Attorney General
State Capitol, Room 116
Frankfort, KY 40601
PHO:(502) 696-5300
FAX: 502-573-8317

Louisiana
Honorable Richard P. Ieyoub
Attorney General of Louisiana
Office of the Attorney General
Department of Justice
Post Office Box 94095
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-4095
PHO:(504) 342-7013
FAX: 504-342-8703

Maine
Honorable Andrew Ketterer
Attorney General of Maine
Office of the Attorney General
State House Station Six
Augusta, ME 04333
PHO:(207) 626-8800
FAX: 207-287-3145

Maryland
Honorable J. Joseph Curran Jr.
Attorney General of Maryland
Office of the Attorney General
200 Saint Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202-2202
PHO:(410) 576-6300
FAX: 410-576-7003

Massachusetts
Honorable Tom Reilly
Attorney General of Massachusetts
Office of the Attorney General
One Ashburton Place
Boston, MA 02108-1698
PHO:(617) 727-2200
FAX: 617-727-3251

Michigan
Honorable Jennifer Granholm
Attorney General of Michigan
Office of the Attorney General
Post Office Box 30212
525 West Ottawa Street
Lansing, MI 48909-0212
PHO:(517) 373-1110
FAX: 517-373-3042

Minnesota
Honorable Mike Hatch
Attorney General of Minnesota
Office of the Attorney General
State Capitol
Suite 102
St. Paul, MN 55155
PHO:(651) 296-6196
FAX: 651-297-4193

Mississippi
Honorable Mike Moore
Attorney General of Mississippi
Office of the Attorney General
Department of Justice
Post Office Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205-0220
PHO:(601) 359-3692
FAX: 601-359-3441

Missouri
Honorable Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon
Attorney General of Missouri
Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Building
207 West High Street
Jefferson City, MO 65101
PHO:(573) 751-3321
FAX: 573-751-0774

Montana
Honorable Joseph P. Mazurek
Attorney General of Montana
Office of the Attorney General
Justice Building, 215 North Sanders
Helena, MT 59620-1401
PHO:(406) 444-2026
FAX: 406-444-3549

Nebraska
Honorable Don Stenberg
Attorney General of Nebraska
Office of the Attorney General
State Capitol
Post Office Box 98920
Lincoln, NE 68509-8920
PHO:(402) 471-2682
FAX: 402-471-3297

Nevada
Honorable Frankie Sue Del Papa
Attorney General of Nevada
Office of the Attorney General
Old Supreme Court Building
100 North Carson Street
Carson City, NV 89701
PHO:(775) 687-4170
FAX: 775-687-5798

New Hampshire
Honorable Philip T. McLaughlin
Attorney General of New Hampshire
Office of the Attorney General
State House Annex, 25 Capitol Street
Concord, NH 03301-6397
PHO:(603) 271-3658
FAX: 603-271-2110

New Jersey
Honorable Peter Verniero
Attorney General of New Jersey
Office of the Attorney General
Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex
25 Market Street, CN 080
Trenton, NJ 08625
PHO:(609) 292-4925
FAX: 609-292-3508

New Mexico
Honorable Patricia Madrid
Attorney General of New Mexico
Office of the Attorney General
Post Office Drawer 1508
Santa Fe, NM 87504-1508
PHO:(505) 827-6000
FAX: 505-827-5826

New York
Honorable Dennis C. Vacco
Attorney General of New York
Office of the Attorney General
Department of Law - The Capitol
2nd Floor
Albany, NY 12224
PHO:(518) 474-7330
FAX: 518-473-9909

North Carolina
Honorable Michael F. Easley
Attorney General of North Carolina
Office of the Attorney General
Department of Justice
Post Office Box 629
Raleigh, NC 27602-0629
PHO:(919) 716-6400
FAX: 919-716-6750

North Dakota
Honorable Heidi Heitkamp
Attorney General of North Dakota
Office of the Attorney General
State Capitol
600 East Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58505-0040
PHO:(701) 328-2210
FAX: 701-328-2226

Ohio
Honorable Betty D. Montgomery
Attorney General of Ohio
Office of the Attorney General
State Office Tower
30 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43266-0410
PHO:(614) 466-3376
FAX: 614- 644-6135

Oklahoma
Honorable W.A. Drew Edmondson
Attorney General of Oklahoma
Office of the Attorney General
State Capitol, Room 112
2300 North Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
PHO:(405) 521-3921
FAX: 405-521-6246

Oregon
Honorable Hardy Myers
Attorney General of Oregon
Office of the Attorney General
Justice Building
1162 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97310
PHO:(503) 378-6002
FAX: 503-378-4017

Pennsylvania
Honorable Mike Fisher
Attorney General of Pennsylvania
Office of the Attorney General
Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
PHO:(717) 787-3391
FAX: 717-787-8242

Rhode Island
Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse
Attorney General of Rhode Island
Office of the Attorney General
150 South Main Street
Providence, RI 02903
PHO:(401) 274-4400
FAX: 401-222-1302

South Carolina
Honorable Charlie Condon
Attorney General of South Carolina
Office of the Attorney General
Rembert C. Dennis Office Building
Post Office Box 11549
Columbia, SC 29211-1549
PHO:(803) 734-3970
FAX: 803-253-6283

South Dakota
Honorable Mark Barnett
Attorney General of South Dakota
Office of the Attorney General
500 East Capitol
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
PHO:(605) 773-3215
FAX: 605-773-4106

Tennessee
Honorable Paul G. Summers
Attorney General of Tennessee
Office of the Attorney General
500 Charlotte Avenue
Nashville, TN 37243
PHO:(615) 741-6474
FAX: 615-741-2009

Texas
Honorable John Cornyn
Attorney General of Texas
Office of the Attorney General
Capitol Station
Post Office Box 12548
Austin, TX 78711-2548
PHO:(512) 463-2191
FAX: 512-463-2063

Utah
Honorable Jan Graham
Attorney General of Utah
Office of the Attorney General
State Capitol, Room 236
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-0810
PHO:(801) 538-1326
FAX: 801-538-1121

Vermont
Honorable William H. Sorrell
Attorney General of Vermont
Office of the Attorney General
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609-1001
PHO:(802) 828-3171
FAX: 802-828-3187

Virginia
Honorable Mark L. Earley
Attorney General of Virginia
Office of the Attorney General
900 East Main Street
Richmond, VA 23219
PHO:(804) 786-2071
FAX: 804-786-1991

Washington
Honorable Christine O. Gregoire
Attorney General of Washington
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 40100
1125 Washington Street, SE
Olympia, WA 98504-0100
PHO:(360) 753-6200
FAX: 360-586-8474

West Virginia
Honorable Darrell V. McGraw Jr.
Attorney General of West Virginia
Office of the Attorney General
State Capitol         
Charleston, WV 25305
PHO:(304) 558-2021
FAX: 304-558-0140

Wisconsin
Honorable James E. Doyle
Attorney General of Wisconsin
Office of the Attorney General
State Capitol
Post Office Box 7857
Suite 114 East
Madison, WI 53707-7857
PHO:(608) 266-1221
FAX: 608-267-2779

Wyoming
Honorable Gay Woodhouse
Attorney General of Wyoming
Office of the Attorney General
123 Capitol Building
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002
PHO: (307) 777-7841
FAX: 307-777-6869

=========================================


Simon Billenness
*for the New England Burma Roundtable*
Trillium Asset Management
711 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 423-6655, x225
(800) 548-5684
(617) 482-6179 - fax
sbillenness@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.trilliuminvest.com/
==================================================
"I see my life...as part of a procession, a dynamic process, doing all that
we can do to move toward more good and justice; a process that is not
isolated from what has happened before or what will come after.  And I do
whatever I have to do along the path, whether it's sowing seeds or reaping
the harvest or tending the plants half grown."

Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's democratic leader under house arrest, in "On the
Issues," Fall '98
==================================================