The ADL: More about the “monitors” — Jan 2005

" The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of B'nai Brith, USA other traditional enemies of Free Speech: Anti-Nazi League Australian Government Australian B'nai Brith Anti-Defamation Commission Board of Deputies of British Jews Center for Democratic Renewal, Atlanta Canadian Jewish Congress Canadian League of Human Rights of the B'nai Brith Coalition for Human Dignity, Oregon Community Security Trust of Board of Deputies German Government Jewish Telegraph Agency Searchlight and Gerald Gable Simon Wiesenthal Center Surfwatch Internet censorship Posted Tuesday, September 22, 1998 Merchants of Hatred Thursday, September 17, 1998 Jewish Group Wants Files Withheld By Bob Egelko Associated Press Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith claims it has the same right as a journalist to withhold records it gathered on leftist pro-Palestinian and anti-apartheid activists.

The Jewish organization argued before an appellate court Wednesday that it should not have to comply with a judge's order to produce the documents to individuals who have sued the group for invasion of privacy. The ADL is appealing a September order allowing 17 people to see material that the ADL gathered on individuals and organizations that supported Palestinian rights and opposed South Africa's former apartheid government. The cases arose out of a 1992 seizure by San Francisco police of more than 10,000 ADL files. The ADL later paid $75,000 to settle a civil suit filed by the city accusing it of illegally obtaining confidential government documents. A now-retired San Francisco police inspector, Tom Girard , also pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of illegally accessing the information.

Girard's ADL contact, Roy Bullock , acknowledged selling information to the South African government, then Israel's ally. The ADL said he did it on his own, but admitted that some of its information was shared with the Israeli government. Police, who returned the documents to the ADL after the settlement, notified the plaintiffs that their names were in the files. The 17 contend the ADL illegally obtained confidential records from the state and blacklisted them among the organization's supporters. The ADL denies having a blacklist and says it was merely keeping tabs on hate groups and terrorists. "Courts say a government employee may be punished for violating a duty to keep information private, but if you are a journalist, you may not be punished'" for receiving the information and sharing it with others, B'nai B'rith lawyer Stephen Bomse said Wednesday.

The plaintiffs' lawyer, former Congressman Pete McCloskey , said even if the ADL should be treated as a reporter, no journalist has the power "to invade privacy and transmit private records.'' Bomse said there was no evidence of lawbreaking that would justify invading the group's files. "The reason there may not be a scintilla of evidence is that your client has it and won't disclose it,'' replied Presiding Justice J. Anthony Kline . A ruling from the appeals court is expected in December. ©