Intimidation
Dear Friend:
When you engage in the war of ideas and have the courage to expose government waste and corruption, as NPRI does on a daily basis, you expect to have some heated disagreements.
Disagreements are acceptable. Intimidation from government officials is not.
Now, however, a well-known government official is trying to intimidate us here at NPRI.
Of course, we're used to government officials being upset with us. After all, we've revealed the inflated salaries of firefighters and other government officials, we've uncovered millions in waste at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and we're defending our constitution's separation-of-powers clause against those who callously violate it.
In our defense of liberty and taxpayers, we've upset almost every special-interest group and powerful politician in the state at one point or another. And we wouldn't have it any other way. We are your voice - the voice of taxpayers and business owners.
Unfortunately, as reported in this morning's Las Vegas Sun, Clark County School District Superintendent Dwight Jones has gone beyond respectful disagreements. He is trying to intimidate NPRI - precisely because of the impact we are having. When they fail to win in the arena of ideas, many government officials think it's OK to use political pressure to silence their opponents.
Here's what happened: When asked about NPRI's recent lawsuit defending Nevada's Open Meeting Law, Superintendent Jones, after voicing his displeasure with NPRI's pursuit of the case, made the following statement:
I do plan to send a letter to [NPRI's] board of directors to say let's be clear on what your mission is.
Excuse me?
Mr. Jones, you, as a government official, are going to try to insert yourself into the business of defining the mission of NPRI, a private organization?
To do so would represent a blatant abuse of authority as a governmental official and an explicit attempt by government to intimidate a private organization.
My friend, I'm sharing this story with you for three reasons.
First, we've seen, once again, that sunlight is the best disinfectant for the abuses of government officials. Even our friends on the Left should be able to agree that government has no right to insert itself into the process of defining the mission of a private organization. It would be just as outrageous if Superintendent Jones were to try to "clarify" the mission of the ACLU instead of NPRI.
Second, this is yet more evidence of the positive impact NPRI is having on the policy debate.
As Gandhi once said, "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
Government officials are fighting NPRI because they know that the information, research and litigation we produce exposes their actions for all to see - and they'll do anything to stop us.
Third, I want to ask you to do something important: Will you stand with NPRI and donate $5 to our efforts today?
Unlike the Clark County School District, which takes in billions of tax dollars a year, NPRI refuses to take any government funding and is supported solely be donations from freedom-loving individuals like you.
Will you please donate $5 today, and send a message to government officials that it's unacceptable to try to intimidate NPRI and the individuals, like you, who support our work?
Despite this attempt at intimidation (and others), NPRI isn't backing down. In fact, to paraphrase a fearless American naval officer: We have not yet begun to fight.
Will you fight alongside us by contributing $5 right now?
Yours in liberty,
Andy Matthews
NPRI President
P.S. Intimidation tactics from government officials are a threat to you and other freedom lovers throughout Nevada. But NPRI is committed to fighting for you.
Will you stand with us by donating $5 or more right now? Let government officials know that they won't be allowed to intimidate you, and that you support NPRI now more than ever.
Thank you.
