[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 190 (Tuesday, December 15, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13246-S13247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO ROBERT B. HEMLEY

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee 
approved the media shield bill in a bipartisan vote of 14 to 5. This 
legislation would establish a qualified privilege for journalists to 
protect their confidential sources and the public's right to

[[Page S13247]]

know. At a time when the Senate is working to recognize the importance 
of protecting Americans' first amendment rights, I am proud to 
recognize a Burlington lawyer who was recently recognized by the 
Vermont Press Association for his lifetime commitment to the first 
amendment and the public's right to know.
  On December 3, 2009, Robert B. Hemley was awarded the Matthew Lyon 
Award during the Association's annual awards banquet in Montpelier, 
Vermont. As a fellow Matthew Lyon Award recipient, I share with Robert 
a passion about the need for each generation to defend the first 
amendment rights that are so crucial to all Vermonters and to every 
American. Robert has worked to bring greater transparency and 
accountability to our government by representing journalists and 
newspapers in instances in which they were improperly forced to testify 
in violation of the first amendment, and by helping to create the 
Vermont Coalition for Open Government.
  In each era there will always be much to do to bring greater openness 
and accountability to government of, by, and for the people. I am 
pleased to know Robert Hemley will continue to bring his expertise and 
dedication to this fight.
  I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record an article from 
the St. Albans Messenger.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

             [From the St. Albans Messenger, Dec. 1, 2009]

  Burlington Lawyer Wins Recognition for Commitment to First Amendment

       Montpelier.--Burlington lawyer Robert B. Hemley has been 
     selected to receive the Matthew Lyon Award for his lifetime 
     commitment to the First Amendment and public's right to know 
     the truth in Vermont.
       The Vermont Press Association is scheduled to present the 
     award to Hemley during its annual awards banquet at noon 
     Thursday (Dec. 3) at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier.
       VPA President Bethany Dunbar, editor of the Chronicle in 
     Barton, said Hemley has been a First Amendment leader in the 
     fight against sealed public records, closed courtrooms and 
     improper attempts to force reporters to testify in violation 
     of the First Amendment. Hemley also has successfully defended 
     the media against defamation and invasion-of-privacy lawsuits 
     and other false claims.
       The VPA created the award to honor people who have an 
     unwavering devotion to the five freedoms within the First 
     Amendment and to the belief that the public's right to know 
     the truth is essential in a self-governed democracy.
       The First Amendment award is named for the former Vermont 
     congressman, who was jailed in 1798 under the Alien and 
     Sedition Act for sending a letter to the editor criticizing 
     President John Adams.
       While Lyon was serving his federal sentence in a Vergennes 
     jail, Vermonters re-elected him to the U.S. House of 
     Representatives. Hemley, who is a shareholder in the Gravel 
     and Shea law firm, has been recruited to the write the 
     Vermont section of the national guides on libel, privacy, and 
     access for both the media Libel Resource Center and the 
     Reporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press for more than 
     20 years.
       He has shared his expertise and participated in various 
     training sessions for judges, lawyers, the media and the 
     public. He helped create the Vermont Coalition for Open 
     Government and has been invited through the years by the 
     Vermont Legislature to offer testimony on several First 
     Amendment issues.
       Hemley has represented: St. Albans Messenger, Burlington 
     Free Press, Rutland Herald, Times Argus, Valley news, 
     Bennington Banner, the Associated Press, United Press 
     International, USA Today, New York Times, New York Daily 
     News, along with WCAX-TV, Vermont Public Radio and several 
     weekly newspapers, including in Randolph, Stowe, Waitsfield 
     and Burlington.
       Before arriving in Vermont in 1976, Hemley was an assistant 
     U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and also 
     worked for a Wall Street law firm. He earned degrees from 
     Amherst College and New York University Law School and is 
     listed in the Best Lawyers in America. Hemley has chaired the 
     District Court Advisory Committee for Vermont since 1993.
       He lives in Burlington with his wife, Marcia, and they have 
     three children: Amanda, an assistant state's attorney for 
     Dade County, Fla.; Mark, who lives in Boston, and Ian, who 
     attends school in Atlanta.
       Previous Matthew Lyon winners include Patrick J. Leahy for 
     his work as a state prosecutor and as a U.S. senator; and 
     Edward J. Cashman for his efforts as Chittenden Superior 
     Court clerk, a state prosecutor and state judge.

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