220: ALAA's Ceasefire Resolution and the Fallout From it: Part I w/Michael Letwin Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter is joined by Michael Letwin, former President of ALAA 2325 and longtime Public Defender at the New York Legal Aid Society. Today’s episode is part one of the two-part coverage of the ALAA 2325 Ceasefire in Gaza resolution. To understand the resolution fully requires us to fully understand the patterns, practices, and history of ALAA 2325 when it comes to speaking about international events. With this context in mind, hopefully those asking why ALAA 2325 would choose to issue a ceasefire resolution can understand how that is directly in line with their organizational ethics. Finally, Hunter makes his pitch for why Public Defender organizations should be speaking out about international affairs.
 
 
Guests:
Michael Letwin, Former President ALAA 2325 and long time Public Defender
 
Resources:
ALAA 2325 Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza, an End to the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, and Support for Workers’ Political Speech
https://www.alaa.org/media-releases/resolution-calling-for-a-ceasefire-in-gaza-an-end-to-the-israeli-occupation-of-palestine-and-support-for-workers-political-speech
Bronx Defenders Union Statement
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15Hzyy_ufSJ9h8GjiYdg4eRKdGIUyikRE/view
A Statement by Jewish Members of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys-UAW Local 2325
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MJDXr9nANDCtcV76fxYNwNsxNbru3MYu5hLkCC3KrLY/edit
New York Legal Aid Society Response
https://legalaidnyc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Statement-on-Resolution-from-ALAA-UAW-Local-2325.pdf
Bronx Defenders Response
https://www.bronxdefenders.org/the-bronx-defenders-response-to-its-unions-october-20-statement/
News Coverage of the Resolution
https://theintercept.com/2023/11/17/public-defender-gaza-legal-aid-bronx-defenders/
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/association-legal-aid-attorneys-public-defenders-palestinian-israel-resolution_n_655d2541e4b0c91d8278efcd
https://freespeechproject.georgetown.edu/tracker-entries/legal-aid-lawyers-approve-pro-palestinian-resolution-after-federal-judge-dissolves-state-court-order-preventing-vote/
https://nypost.com/2023/12/19/metro/legal-aid-union-approves-pro-hamas-antisemitic-resolution-calling-for-boycott-of-apartheid-jewish-state-critics-say/
https://www.nysun.com/article/congress-to-probe-legal-union-over-anti-israel-resolution-opposed-by-nearly-a-third-of-its-members
https://nypost.com/2023/11/16/metro/legal-aid-society-denounces-unions-antisemitic-resolution/
https://inthesetimes.com/article/palestine-resolution-unions-court-blocked
https://www.thefp.com/p/alaa-legal-aid-attorneys-antisemitism-congress
https://edworkforce.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=410256
 https://www.nyclu.org/en/press-releases/congressional-subpoena-over-pro-palestinian-speech-violates-free-speech-alleges 
ALAA 2325 History of Anti War Votes and Comments
https://alaa2325.wordpress.com/1999/03/26/history-of-the-association-of-legal-aid-attorneys-uaw-local-2325/
https://alaa2325.wordpress.com/2003/04/14/alaa-antiwar-vote/
https://alaa2325.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/2009-09-15-urgent-appeal-to-alaa-members-defend-free-speech-at-legal-aid/
https://alaa2325.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/2014-07-29-updated-signers-173-of-mass-free-speech-grievance/
https://alaa2325.wordpress.com/2023/12/19/adopted-resolution-calling-for-a-ceasefire-in-gaza-an-end-to-the-israeli-occupation-of-palestine-and-support-for-workers-political-speech-association-of-legal-aid-attorneys-united-auto-w/
https://labornotes.org/blogs/2021/08/bottom-labor-solidarity-palestine-growing
https://laborforpalestine.net/2022/07/26/press-release-uaw-2325-association-of-legal-aid-attorneys-votes-to-divest-from-israel-bonds/
https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/e/2PACX-1vQzS8V0UkBAdiBRbaSasIvKuu45SjEuQKwXMxdMO92DZBn7QNhF2nWbKZI6ALAYoZfFkqpckIt1QMdW/pub
https://laborforpalestine.net/2023/10/26/sf-public-defender-staff-in-solidarity-w