Donna Hughes on the case against Rachel Paulose

University of Rhode Island Professor Donna Hughes is one of the foremost academic authorities on human trafficking. She has frequetly written for National Review Online on trafficking (most recently here, for example) and has a long list of professsional publications on the subject. Professor Hughes writes to comment on “The New York Times frames the case against Rachel Paulose.” Professor Hughes writes:

Thank you for your defense of Rachel Paulouse on Power Line. There is an aspect of this attack on Paulouse that may not be apparent at first: Paulouse has taken aggressive action against trafficking and has quickly become one of the leading anti-trafficking prosecutors in the country. That alone is enough to make her the subject of attack.
We are in the final stages of negotiating the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2007. The strongest opponent are those in the Justice Department who have subverted the Bush presidential directive on human trafficking. Right now, the only groups that support the position of the Justice Department are the liberal/leftists that support legalization of prostitution. Sound impossible?
Attached is a letter [omitted here] sent to Acting A.G. Keisler recently that addresses the poor performance of the Justice Department on issues related to prosecution and training on human trafficking, specifically sex trafficking. Please read it and please note the incredible breadth and depth of the signers of this letter — from Gary Bauer to Kim Gandy, President of NOW. This diverse and powerful coalition is set to pass a historic anti-trafficking Reauthorization Act. We had bipartisan support in the House Judiciary Committee, but at the eleventh hour last Friday night, the Justice Department came in with a letter opposing the main provisions. Considering the political breadth of our coalition, that leaves the liberal/leftists groups that support legalization of prostitution in support of DOJ’s opposition to the bill.
Sincerely,
Donna M. Hughes
Professor & Carlson Endowed Chair
University of Rhode Island

Professor Hughes also forwards the text of a letter that is being circulated to liberal, leftist, conservative, secular, and faith-based groups (the coalition that signed the letter referred to above) for signatures:

Dear Mr. Attorney General,
We are suspicious of what we suspect may be a classic Washington, D.C. campaign to destroy the character and end the tenure of Minnesota

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