Projo Politics Blog

The Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union has named state Rep. Edith H. Ajello the Raymond J. Pettine Civil Libertarian of the Year for her legislative record on civil liberties issues.

And the ACLU has given its William G. McLoughlin First Amendment Award to lawyer Howard A. Merten for his work on litigation successfully challenging portions of the campaign finance law that adversely affected the ability of nonprofits to participate in ballot referenda campaigns.

During her 14 years in office, Ajello, D-Providence, has sponsored legislation that “repealed the state’s outdated and discriminatory sodomy law, a bill requiring equity in contraceptive coverage by insurers, a bill making discrimination against transgender individuals illegal and legislation restricting police interrogations of students in public school settings,” a General Assembly announcement said.

The ACLU took particular note of a bill that Ajello “successfully sponsored this year to eliminate an excessive surcharge tacked onto collect phone calls made by ACI inmates, many of whom are already suffering economic hardship.”

While pushing for prisoners’ rights can be politically perilous, Ajello “managed to quietly, but openly, shepherd this bill through the legislature, a testament to her skills and standing the General Assembly, as well as her unwavering commitment to the cause of civil rights,” the ACLU said in the program for its Nov. 16 banquet, when the award was presented.

The award presented to Ajello is named for the late U.S. District Judge Raymond J. Pettine, who “ruled in favor of protecting civil liberties throughout his career,” the announcement said. The award presented to Merten is named for the late William G. McLoughlin, a long-time local ACLU board member who was active on free-speech issues. Merten, a volunteer ACLU lawyer, also pushed for changes in the campaign finance law regarding ballot referenda campaigns, said Steven Brown, local ACLU executive director.

-- Journal staff writers Elizabeth Gudrais and Edward Fitzpatrick

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