FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 16, 2024
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
THURSDAY: PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING LAWSUIT AGAINST TWO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
CODEPINK San Francisco Endorses Class Action Lawsuit Against Congressmembers Huffman and Thompson
SAN FRANCISCO– On Thursday, Dec. 19, a press conference and rally will be held announcing a class action lawsuit against Congress Members Jared Huffman and Mike Thompson, intending to hold them legally accountable for illegally using our tax dollars to fund genocide.
- WHEN: Dec. 19, 2024 at 12 pm
- WHERE: U.S. District Court, 450 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco
- WHO: CODEPINK San Francisco, Taxpayers Against Genocide, Roots Action, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Sonoma Valley Solidarity With Palestine, Marin DSA, SURJ Marin, Raizes Collective, and more.
This unprecedented federal lawsuit will be filed in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco by taxpayers in 10 Northern California counties against Representatives Jared Huffman and Mike Thompson. The attorneys are hoping 500-1000 taxpayers will join the lawsuit. The basis for the pathbreaking legal action will include violations of the Foreign Assistance Act, the Arms Export Control Act, the U.S. War Crimes Act, the Leahy Law, the Genocide Convention Implementation Act, and several treaties.
"I feel I've been living in a traumatized state for over a year," explained Leslie Angeline, a constituent of Rep. Jared Huffman.
Angeline, who is named in the lawsuit, is a month into a hunger strike. She started on Nov. 18 in solidarity with Jordan's Free Youth Movement, which is currently on hunger strike for Gaza.
"I cry every day, multiple times a day; my heart is beyond broken; it's shattered. I wake you each morning worrying about the genocide that is happening in Gaza, knowing that if it wasn't for my government's partnership with the Israeli government, this couldn't continue. Our government is sending billions upon billions of our tax dollars to slaughter innocent children, CHILDREN, mothers and fathers, and entire families with bombs and artillery funded by our country. We have a homeless crisis here in California, a healthcare crisis; what is our Congress doing approving more money for death and destruction across the globe when we could be spending that money here at home supporting life?" Angeline continued.
The lawsuit is a result of inaction by elected officials who are authorizing the use of their constituent's money to fund genocide and war crimes. As the genocide continues in Gaza and the use of U.S. weapons in the region continues to escalate, caring people are compelled to do everything we can to stop using our taxpayer dollars to send more weapons.
"This is a history-making class action lawsuit that hopefully will result in Thompson and Huffman wanting to stop funding the U.S.-Israeli genocide. They are breaking the law, and taxpayers are saying, "Enough." We don't want our tax dollars used to supply weapons to Israel." Cynthia Papermaster, CODEPINK Organizer
For more information, please get in touch with CODEPINK Bay Area Organizer Cynthia Papermaster at [email protected].
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