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AAJ to President Bush: Put the Interests of the American People Ahead of Corporate Bottom Lines

Thursday, January 25, 2007 (Washington, DC)—AAJ CEO Jon Haber today issued the following statement ahead of President Bush’s State of the Union Address:

“The 2006 elections were a clear repudiation by the American people of Bush's attempts to hinder the public’s ability to hold powerful interests accountable through the civil justice system, providing aid and comfort to negligent corporations and diluting the authority of federal agencies responsible for the safety of all Americans.

“The American people want to end the attacks and misinformation Bush and his big-money campaign contributors have used to further stack the deck against the American people in favor of the corporate special interests.

“Rolling back Enron reforms that protect shareholders and public pensions, siding with the insurance industry against Katrina victims, and padding profits of big drug companies are more examples of giveaways to his corporate contributors -- all policies which were rejected resoundingly by voters on Election Day.

“It's time for Bush to put the interests of the American people ahead of the corporate special interests.

“The American Association for Justice will build on the successes of 2006 and continue to fight for justice and ensure that any person injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can get justice in the courtroom, even while confronting the most powerful interests.”

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As the world's largest trial bar, AAJ (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) promotes justice and fairness for injured persons, defends the constitutional right to trial by jury, and strengthens the civil justice system through education and disclosure of information critical to public health and safety. Serving members worldwide, AAJ provides attorneys with the information and professional assistance they need to serve clients successfully and protect the democratic values of the civil justice system. Visit http://www.justice.org