Lawyers, Moonies, & WRP

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LOS ANGELES — Sometime in the mid-1970s, a number of Los Angeles lawyers associated with Socialist Organiser readers have not heard much lately abliberal and radical groups began to get a series of out the libel case the WRP set in motion against us three unusual phone calls. The voice on the phone was years ago. As a matter of fact, neither have we. However, the mills of God are said to grind slowly but surely, and so that of a famous movie actress, inviting them perdoes the law. The case is still 'pending' ', still hanging over sonally to meet with her and some of her friends.

Abridged from the 'Militant' (USA)

Where to find Socialist Organiser Those who accepted the invitation — and evidently quite a few did — were given the time and location of a private political meeting with the actress, Vanessa Redgrave.

The venings consisted of a taik by Redgrave, followed by more intimate conversations with those who responded positively to what she had to say. In her to defend jobs and services. speeches, Redgrave presRented the line of the British Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP), of which she is a member. The United States branch of the WRP goes under the name ployed. 'Workers League' (WL).

These events were never publicised, even by word of mouth, within the radical movement. Rather, they were exclusive, by-invitation-only, soirees. Those attending : were primarily lawyers, perhaps some law students, other professionals, and a few Hollywood personalities...

Out of this series of Redgrave performances, the *Freeże rent ano rates. WRP-WL recruited a small circle of lawyers in Los Angeles. These converts have been an essential element in the campaign of slander and disruption carried out by the WRP-WI workers' defence squads. against the Socialist Workers Party.

For more than four years, that international campaign has centred on a lawsuit against the SWP. The suit tability, etc. has been organised and finDanced by the WRP-WL, using as its base of operations the coterie of lawyers recruited out of Redgrave's private sessions.

The suit was filed in July 1979 by one of this group, and affirm their stand publicly. Alan Gelfand, a lawyer for Los Angeles County, who had entered the SWP to disrupt it from within. Gelfand was expelled from the SWP in January 1979 after a matter of urgency. he filed a legal brief in fedFeral court charging that the and services should be blacked.

SCOTLAND EDINBURGH. Contact Dave 229-4591. SO is sold at Muirhouse (Sat. 10.30-12.30) average for the trade. and at the First of May book shop, Candlemaker Row.

GLASGOW. Contact Stan Crooke, 63 Dixon Ave, G42.

Paper sales: Friday lunchtime, Springburn shopping arcade; Saturday morning, Coatbridge shopping arcade; Tuesday morning, Maryhill UBO; also, West End bookshop.

NORTH-WEST HYNDBURN. Contact the bankers and bosses. crington 395753.

LIVERPOOL. Contact 733 6663. SO is sold at News from Nowhere, Whitechapel, and at Progressive Books, Saturday February 18, 10am Berry St. to 4pm at the LUCA centre, MANCHESTER. Contact 72 Rutland Street. Tony, 273 5691. SO is sold Agenda includes: Fighting to at Grass Roots Books, Newton St, Piccadilly.

ROCHDALE. Contact 28 Middle Lane, London STOKE: Contact Arthur Herodear disarmament.* Bough, 23 Russell Road, Sandyford SO is sold at Kermaise Books. The Market DURHAM. 64088. SO Community Elvet.

HUDDERSFIELD. Alan Brooke, 59 Honley, HD7 2LX. SWP is a front for the FBI. Circulating this slander against the SWP and similar charges against other revolutionaries internationally has been the major activity of the WRP-WL for nearly a decade.

When he was expelled, Gelfand opened the next prearranged stage of the disruption operation. He filed suit against the SWP, asking a federal judge to remove the party's elected leadership and reinstate him to membership on the grounds that he had beer expelled by government agents who had taken over the SWP. United States District Court Judge Mariana Pfaelzer rejected every effort by the SWP to have the case thrown out of court. Pfaelzer said Gelfand was entitled to his 'day in Yet when the case finally came to trial last spring, Pfaelzer was forced to admit that Gelfand had never had any evidence and that the entire lawsuit had been 'outrageous' At the end of the trial Pfaelzer declared to Gelfand and his attorneys from the firm of Fisher and Moest: "You have not proved anything you said you were going to prove. Nothing... Cal. only assume that there was a motive somewhere in here to paralyse the Socialist Workers Party. I don't know how much the rival political party (the WRPWL) paid for your attorneys' fees. I suppose in another forum that will come up as an issue...

Following this verdict, the SWP aided by the Political Rights Defence Fund and other defenders of the First Amendment went on a counteroffensive to defend the rights of the SWP to be free from this kind of disruptive lawsuit and to help deter similar suits Arcade, Newcastle-u-Lyme.

STOCKPORT. Contact 40 Fox St, Edgley (429 6359). WIRRAL. Contact Lol Duffy, 3 St James Court, Victoria Rd, New Brighton.

YORKSHIRE AND NORTH EAST Contact Andy, is sold at the Co-op, New HALIFAX. Contact: 52156. SO is sold at Hebden Bridge Books.

HARROGATE. Contact Dan 69640. SO is sold at Harrogate Market, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday lunchtimes.

Contact Magdale, HULL. Contact c/o Middle Lane, London N8.

LEEDS. Contact Garth, 623322 SO is sold at Books and Corner Books, Woodhouse Lane.

NEWCASTLE - ON - TYNE: SO is sold. at the Days of Socialist Organiser.

The following account the WRP in the USA is our readers.

Vanessa Redgrave against other working class organisations. The focus of this fight has been a campaign to force Pfaelzer to order the attorneys in the case to repay the SWP its expenses and legal fees incurred in the fight.

As the battle to hold the lawyers accountable has unfolded, the spotlight has turned onto the role of the small group of WRP-WL lawyers in Los Angeles and on the connection between this group of WRP-WL converts and other lawyers who have fronted for them, not out of political commitment but because they were well paid to do so...

No less than four Los Angeles lawyers whose political loyalty to the WRP-WL is beyond dispute have now made an appearance in this antiSWP lawsuit. And it is not Hope bookshop, 115 gate Road.

SHEFFIELD. Contact Rob, 589307. SO is sold at Boots in Fargate (Saturday 12 to 1) and at the Independent Bookshop, Glossop Rd.

SUNDERLAND. Contact c/o Durham.

YORK. Contact: 414118. SO is sold at the University (Friday mornings), Coney St (Saturday mornings), the dole office (most mornings), and at the Community Bookshop.

WALES AND WEST BRISTOL. Contact c/o Middle Lane, London N8. CARDIFF. Contact 492988.

MIDLANDS BIRMINGHAM. Contact Godfrey Webster, 169 Barclay Road, Bearswood, Smethwick. SO is sold at the Other Bookshop.

COVENTRY. Contact Keith, 75623. SO is sold at the Wedge Bookshop:

LEICESTER. Contact Phit, 857908. SO is sold at Blackthorne Books, High St. of the strange legal activities reprinted for the information Ker over yet.

WRP-WL lawyer no.1, of course, is Gelfand himself. No.2 is John Burton, who is employed by Fisher and Moest. Burton conducted virtually all the pre-trial depositions, and was the chief trial lawyer for Gelfand.

It is now a matter of record that Burton joined Fisher and Moest right after they agreed to take the anti-SWP case and was immediately placed in charge of the operation. • By all appearances Burton's job was part of the deal between the WRP-WL and Fisher and Moest...

WRP lawyers nos. 3 and 4 are Donald Norris and Charles Rosenberg. They formally entered their appearance after the March 1983 trial, when the SWP filed for attorney's fees NORTHAMPTON. Contact Ross, 713606.

NOTTINGHAM. Contact Pete, 585640. SO is sold at the Victoria Cent 'e (Saturday 11 to 1), and at Mushroom Bookshop, feathcote Street.

BASINGSTOKE. Contact 75 Freemantle Close. SO is sold at Good News bookshop, London Rd.

OXFORD. Contact c/o 28 Middle Lane, London N8. SO is sold at EOA Books, Cowley Road.

LONDON BRENT/ NORTH-WEST. Contact Mick, 624 1931. CAMDEN. Mike, 267 4806.

HACKNEY. Andrew Hornung, 76 Carysfort Rd, N16.

HARINGEY & Nik, 278 1341.

HOUNSLOW. Chris, 6961.

ORPINGTON. Contact c/o Siu Ming, 691 1141.

PUTNEY: Tom. 789 7587. against Fisher and Moest. At that point Fisher and Moest declared that they might have a conflict of interest with Gelfand therefore could not continue to represent him. Norris and Rusenberg replaced them.

Despite the outcome of the trial, Norris and Rosenberg submitted legal briefs arguing that no fees should be paid to the SWP because Gelfand actually had proved his case, even though the judge did not recognise it. At an October 24 hearing on the attorney's fees issue, Rosenberg argued with Pfaelzer over the quality of Gelfand's 'evidence'.

Although neither Gelfand, Burton, Norris or Rosenberg has ever publicly proclaimed their adherence to the WRP-WL, no one who has listened to them for more than five minutes can doubt where their political loyalties lie.

Lucrative

Fisher and Moest, however, are a different kettle of fish. They are lawyers on the make. They have carved out a very specialised, very lucrative, law practice.

In an affidavit opposing the SWP's motion for attorney's fees, Barry Fisher asserted that his firm's "principal speciality is in First Amendment and civil rights litigation...

The First Amendment and civil rights' cases cited by Fisher to back up this claim turn out to be, virtually without exception, cases involving the Hare Krishna religious sect and the Unification Church of Reverend Moon, a rightwing political outfit.

This image is also what makes Fisher and Moest the ideal firm for the WRP-WL slander-suit against the SWP. Lawyers who fraudulently adyertise themselves as 'civil rights' attorneys and will do anything for a buck were essential to the WRP-WL operation. What better choice than the best-known 'Moonie' law firm in Los Angeles?...

RICHMOND. Nick 876 6715 S.E.LONDON. Siu Ming, 691 1141.

SOUTHWARK/ Jeff, 635 8468.

TOWER HAMLETS. 377 1328.

Socialist Organiser is sold at the following bookshops in London: Central Books, Colletts, The Other Bookshop, Bookmarks, Bookplace (Peckham Rd, SE15), Kilburn Books, Reading Matters (Wood Green shopping centre).

By Must Go' - Kom ladges' c/o 28 Lane. 26p pact.

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Socialist Organiser 165 February Page

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