Details of the Boston College archives case, set to go to court in Massachusetts, were outlined to New York congressman Peter King last week in a briefing carried out by Ned McGinley, past AOH national president and Steve McCabe of The Brehon Law Society and Irish Parades Emergency Committee.
Representative King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, was briefed on the background of the situation and brought up to date on developments.
Said McGinley and McCabe after the meeting: "It was pointed out (to Rep. King) that not only are there broad implications for the ongoing and sometimes fragile peace process in the north of
Ireland, but that important issues have been raised about the stifling of oral history programs in academia, and First Amendment issues regarding confidentiality promised by journalists.
"That this would set a bad precedent was pointed out to Mr. King, who showed great interest and expressed concern."
Meanwhile, Thomas J. Burke, Jr., national president of The Irish American Unity Conference, has written to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton calling her attention to the BC case and requesting her assistance.
