Floor Statements
Statement Celebrating the Life and Courage of Marvin Johnson
Washington, DC,
April 28, 2008
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the lifelong work of a true fighter for civil liberties and civil rights, Marvin Johnson. Sadly, Marv passed away on March 21, after a long battle with complications from diabetes. It is a personal loss to those who knew him as a friend and colleague, and a loss to the many Americans who will never know how tirelessly he fought for their rights, sometimes against great odds, and often for the truly unpopular cause.
At the time of his passing, Marv was the first amendment counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington Legislative Office, a position he held for 8 years. During that time, he led many of the fights to protect the first amendment and our fundamental freedoms. He fought to ensure that all Americans enjoyed their freedom of expression, not only in print or in the public square, but also in ways that the framers never could have imagined--on television or on the internet. Marv also wrote two reports detailing the dangers of domestic spying by Federal law enforcement, including an examination of the tactics used by our Government against Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As we now struggle to regain these precious constitutional rights, Marv's work has become even more important. As Marv wrote, ``American citizens must once again be confident they may exercise their constitutionally protected right to protest government policy without becoming targets of government scrutiny.'' Marv was also an outstanding resource. His vast knowledge and sound judgment were always ready to aid us in our work. As the Chair of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, I always valued Marv's views, even on those occasions where we disagreed. Prior to his time in Washington, Marv was the Executive Director of the ACLU of Wyoming and before that, he was its board chair. During his tenure as executive director a notorious hate crime was committed against a young gay man, Matthew Sheppard. That vicious murder is now infamous. Marv Johnson led the Wyoming LGBT and civil liberties communities during that difficult time. Marv also successfully resolved numerous first amendment cases in Wyoming, and he has a long list of legislative accomplishments. Before his time at the ACLU of Wyoming, Marv worked as an attorney 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. Marv Johnson is survived by his wife Billie Ruth Edwards, who has also devoted her life to fighting for civil liberties. My deepest sympathies go out to her. Madam Speaker, those of us who had the privilege of knowing Marv Johnson and working with him will remember his dedication to justice and human rights, his legal and political acumen, and his capacity for hard work. We will also remember his personal decency and good humor which seemed always there just when we needed it most. America is a better Nation because people like Marv are willing to fight for what is right even when that is profoundly unpopular. He enriched the lives of those who knew him. We will all miss his sharp wit and deep-rooted passion for liberty and freedom. I can think of no better way to remember and honor him than to continue his work with the same fearless passion he brought to everything he did. |