Dear ,
First, thank you for everything you are doing in these politically challenging times. As many of you know, on October 16, Republican U.S. Representative Lance Gooden sent a letter to the Department of Justice, requesting an investigation of the National Lawyers Guild. That letter can be found here.
We have consulted with legal counsel, and we wanted to provide you with the following guidance:
These letters from legislators are very common, with rare consequences from the government.
Over the past couple of years, several left-leaning organizations have been targeted in similar letters, particularly groups that have been standing up against the genocide in Palestine. Essentially, a member of the U.S. Congress or Senate will issue an incendiary letter against an organization and call for specific government agencies to investigate and, in some cases, issue criminal charges. It is important to note that there is rarely any enforcement or follow up from government actors after these letters are issued. Instead, these statements are mostly performative and political, aimed at the politicians’ base. However, the NLG is still taking this development seriously.
While these letters do not usually lead to legal consequences, we do acknowledge that this political moment is unpredictable, and the NLG is increasingly on the radar of the right. Therefore, it is not inconceivable that the NLG and its members see more attention from law enforcement and right-wing agitators. With this in mind, we should be reminding our bases how we keep each other safe.
Our members should unhesitatingly assert their legal rights if contacted by law enforcement.
We often teach this, but we need to do it as well: if federal, state, or local agents confront you, you should assert your right to remain silent, reject consent to any search, and demand to speak with a lawyer. This includes during re-entry at airports and other borders, where federal agents are regularly harassing leftist activists. Likewise, you have the right to challenge legal processes, and our national networks will be ready to help you if you get notice of one.
If you are contacted by law enforcement in regards to NLG activity, reach out to your chapter or the National Office immediately.
Do not isolate yourself, go quiet, or distance yourself from NLG: we keep us safe! Inform your chapter leadership as soon as possible so they can start assisting you. Chapter leaders should reach out to National Office staff for further guidance and assistance. If you are an at-large member or law school chapter without a local chapter nearby, please contact National Office staff as usual.
Be very careful about speaking to the press on NLG work.
Legal Observers should not speak with the media when they are on the ground, and inquiries related to the Legal Observer Program should be handled with great care. If you are approached by the press as an NLG member, be mindful of what you state to protect general membership from right-wing actors. If you do not wish to speak to the media, you can always tell them to email: press@nlg.org.
We will continue to provide legal support and stand in solidarity with our movements.
We all know that NLG and its members will continue our work and steadfast commitment to the vital political struggle playing out in the U.S. and globally against racism, fascism, Zionism and imperialism. This is a time to stand in solidarity with each other, to expand our networks, provide training to our communities, and continue to build a wall of protection against repression. Stay alert on the streets and virtual gathering spaces!
The NLG has been fighting fascism since its inception and has survived many instances of political attacks in its history. We plan to release a public response to this development that reiterates our commitment to fighting fascism and highlights the absurdity of these attacks.
Although this might not address all your concerns, we wanted to ensure that we kept you updated as we gathered information. We will be directly in touch with chapter leadership throughout the week.
Sincerely,
NLG National Office Staff & Suzanne Adely, Interim President | 
