Since our last media roundup on March 24, there have been at least 40 additional pieces featuring the role of legal aid in providing essential help to people nationwide – for a total of more than 80 pieces since February in national outlets and at least one local outlet in most states.
President Trump’s budget outline proposing to eliminate the Legal Services Corporation – and more recently the speculation over whether he may try to shoehorn funding cuts from the budget outline into the remaining FY17 appropriation – continue to provide a news hook for coverage about civil legal aid. The key to making the most of this news hook is advanced preparation.
Recent national coverage includes:
- Bryce Covert’s in-depth piece for ThinkProgress, Trump wants to cut off poor people’s legal lifeline.
- Martha’s op-ed for the Guardian, A $15 tax bill nearly cost a family their home. With Trump, it would have.
- Coverage about the support letter from 185 general counsel at major corporations in the Wall Street Journal, General Counsel Join Fight to Save Legal Services Corp., and National Law Journal, 185 Corporate Counsel Urge Congress to Fund LSC and Why General Counsel Oppose Trump’s Legal Services Cuts.
- An op-ed for USA Today by Christian Legal Society CEO David Nammo, Don’t kill the Legal Services Corporation: Christian lawyer.
- A news story in the Huffington Post, Trump’s Plan to Gut Legal Aid Would Do the Most Damage in States That Supported Him.
(If you know of coverage that is not reflected here, please let us know.)
Generating strong and sustained media coverage about the vital importance of civil legal aid requires being prepared. If you want in on the action, we encourage you to get ready now for the next wave of media focus on the federal budget. If you haven’t already done so, please take these three next steps:
- Join the JusticeVoices network – where the real-time action is. (If you think you might already be a member but aren’t sure, go ahead and sign up. Be sure to check the box next to “Yes, I want to be a member of JusticeVoices.”
- Review the messaging advice – talking points and one-pager – from Voices.
- Engage with the media – write an op-ed or letter to the editor, reach out to the reporters who have covered this issue in your state and invite them to your office or to attend a legal clinic to witness civil legal aid in action.
Voices is here to brainstorm ideas, review drafts, etc. We want to help. Ask us.