Marv Johnson Joins ACLU Washington Office As First Amendment Legislative Counsel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEWednesday, March 22, 2000
WASHINGTON — Marv Johnson has joined the American Civil Liberties Union as a Legislative Counsel in its Washington National Office, where he focuses on the First Amendment’s protection of freedom of speech.

Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU’s Washington National Office, announced the appointment, noting that the ACLU has long fought to protect the First Amendment.

“Since its founding, the ACLU has been at the forefront of the fight to secure our constitutional right to free speech,” Murphy said. “Marv’s work will undoubtedly become an important part of our legacy.”

Johnson has already begun to work on a range of topics, including government schemes to require Internet filtering software of schools and libraries, the First Amendment implications of “broadband” access to the Internet, and the revelations that the White House previewed and edited television scripts to ensure they conformed with the Administration’s desired anti-drug message.

No stranger to the ACLU, Johnson arrives from Wyoming, where he served as Executive Director of the state ACLU office. In addition to successfully litigating numerous First Amendment cases, Johnson has a long roster of legislative accomplishments. He worked with the Republican-controlled House and Senate to defeat – three years in a row – neighborhood notification requirements for offenders who had completed their court ordered sentences.

“I am delighted to continue working for the ACLU’s goal of protecting freedom for all,” Johnson said. “Attacks on the First Amendment are a common political ploy, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to remind Congress of the protections guaranteed all Americans by the Bill of Rights.”

Prior to taking the helm at the Wyoming ACLU office, Johnson worked in private practice. He also served in the Air Force as a Judge Advocate General, including two years as the Chief of Military Justice for F.E. Warren Air Force Base.

Johnson is part of a team of lobbyists that work on First Amendment issues. Murphy focuses on the restrictions on free speech included in many bills that aim to revise campaign finance laws. Another lobbyist, Terri Schroeder, focuses on issues pertaining to the First Amendment’s protection of religious liberty and the so-called flag “desecration” amendment.