Press Release: Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky to Discuss the PATRIOT Act at Local Town Hall Meeting

(CHICAGO, IL, 7/28/05) – The Chicago chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), in participation with the Civil Liberties Coalition of Illinois (CLCI), will hold a town hall meeting with guest speaker, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, to encourage Illinois’ elected representatives to vote “NO” to the reauthorization of the expiring provisions of the Patriot Act. WHEN: Sunday, July 17, 2005 from 1:00-3:00 pm

WHERE: 1125 W. Loyola Ave - Bremner Lounge in Centennial Forum (Loyola University Chicago).

WHO: The members of CLCI are the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights, the Chicago Council of Lawyers (CCL), the Cook County Bar Association, the Council on American-Islamic Relations—Chicago (CAIR-Chicago), the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO), the Japanese American Citizens League, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA), the Muslim Bar Association, and the National Lawyers Guild (NLG).

WHY: “This Town Hall Meeting will provide information that will allow members of the community to take educated positions on the sunset provisions of the PATRIOT Act and discuss them with their elected representatives,” Fadi Farhan, CAIR-Chicago’s Director of Governmental Relations said.

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CONTACT: CAIR-Chicago, Fadi Farhan, 773-220-4715 or 312-212-1520, E-mail: gov.relations@cairchicago.org; Ahmed Rehab, 847-971-3963 or 312-212-1520, E-Mail: communications@cairchicago.org.