The true story behind the controversial "protection order" against Anti-Registry Movement activist Derek Logue is only one of the things Senator Lauren Book has tried to stymie the efforts of the Anti-Registry Movement over the past year. So far this year, we have seen the Book family assist the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners pass a local ordinance to arrest homeless registrants for being unable to find housing, as well as introduce HB 1301, intended to lower the time registered citizens can be in the state without registering.
Since Derek Logue does at least a fair amount of the posting here, it seems silly to do a sit-down interview, so instead, we've invited him to just write something about this entire lawsuit ordeal and the rest of Senator Book's efforts to kill his activist efforts.
On the Lawsuit
"First off, I'd like to mention that Lauren Book, or even Ron Book for that matter, came up with the idea to drag me to court. The lawsuit mentions getting a call from Ken Rau, who is a member of Parents For Megan's Law in Long Island (and some say is Laura Ahearn's rich boyfriend who helped fund her through law school), that other group trying to sue me in court. They told the Books about the Twitter posts and then told them to sue me, but since I don't have money and can't be intimidated by suing me for money I don't have, they decided to file a 'protection from abuse' order.
In July, I received an 'anonymous' PM on Twitter from someone using the pseudonym Garl Pinkerton. He wrote, "Derek, I hear you are in a bit of a bind in Broward County. What's your plan to dodge this?" It didn't take me long to figure out it came from someone connected to the Book family. It does not make sense to a reasonable man why someone would file a "protection from abuse" order against someone who is not in a relationship with someone or stalking anyone. However, her lawyer let it slip in court that they filed this protection order specifically because they knew suing me for money would not shut me up. A protection order would not stop my efforts against her, either, since aside from the Tribeca festival and the Rally in Tally, I haven't been anywhere near her.
The truth is the Book family is desperate to stop my efforts because people are paying attention to them. This entire lawsuit was a Hail Mary pass intended to end my participation in a BBC film that I ended up not being left out of in the first place (which I suspect was at least partly the fault of the Book family. This isn't the first time that the Books have used their power and influence on film projects, just look at how our movement got screwed in the Untouchable film. Did you notice there were no interviews with any real anti-registry activists in that film? Feige sold out because he cared more about selling a story than telling the truth, and that is why I think his film is trash.
Some of the Book family's tactics against me constitute harassment. Their representatives have called my registration office multiple times in a failed attempt to get me in trouble. PFML has tried the same tactic as well. One of them had called my registration office back in July, wanting me to get in trouble for calling them a "cunt." Whoever called claimed to be a State Senator from NY. Well, I have called people cunts in the past, among other things, but I did not know any state Senators or have spoken to one, so I had an idea that either PFML reps or Lauren Book called my registration office. It did not get the desired result, because calling someone a cunt might piss someone off but it is not a crime.
This entire lawsuit is just an attempt to intimidate me. While the lawsuit is ongoing, there isn't any evidence that would make a reasonable person say there is "stalking" going on. Lauren Book is a public figure, and public criticism of her is not stalking. They issued a court summons to drag me to court just so I could testify that every retweet of news articles criticizing her, every post someone made online she did not like, and every comment others posted in response to my sharing of news articles were introduced as 'evidence' of 'stalking.' Then I got questioned about how OnceFallen.com is funded; I'd love an explanation as to why that is relevant."
"I'd be shocked if Lauren wins her suit, seeing as how there is nothing to suggest a threat of any kind against her, but then again, she is banking on prejudice against those on the registry rather than actual facts."
On reaction to the lawsuit:
"Speaking of funds and support for OnceFallen, I've always been disappointed in the lack of support for the work I do, including not participating in research surveys I conduct or joining me in public awareness campaigns. If anyone thinks I findraise to make a profit, they are sorely mistaken. So I'm not surprised at all that a number of people who are supposedly anti-registry bashed me and campaigned against me once word of the lawsuit got out. Yet, the same people who bashed me because I cuss on occasion threw their support behind someone whose son was in an FBI standoff and wanted to make excuses for that guy. That pisses me off to no end. Ultimately, if I quit fighting for the rights of former offenders, it will be because of these folks and not people like Book.
Support was down in 2017 yet requests for assistance has gone up considerably. I continue to offer what many other websites don't do-- offer info to help people find housing, employment and support services. Fighting the laws are important, but people are't able to help when they are too busy trying to find a house and a job. But for 2018, I'll be slowing down my efforts due to the low level of support. I want to do more. Someone should have been down in Miami besides an ACLU attorney testifying against the Miami ordinance. Where were the registrant activists? I wanted to go but my finances are in bad shape. The Books are aware of my lack of funds and are trying to win by attrition."
On lawsuits in general:
"I am tired of seeing laws pass because it seems folks just want to wait for a lawyer to save us. Lawsuits are expensive. I am very fortunate to have someone paying for attorneys in my battle with PFML and an attorney representing me pro bono in the idiotic Book suit, but do you realize that the PFML lawsuit bill is already at $30k and I am STILL awaiting my day in court!. Imagine how much more costly a class action would be with a team of lawyers. Fighting bills before they become law is far less expensive, folks. It takes some of your time to do it, but bills pass because if no one opposes them, the belief is that everyone wants this law and it passes. Instead of having a bunch of lazy fools waiting on money to fall from the sky so we can fund expensive litigation, we need to fill up legislative halls with people opposing bad legislation."
On the Book family and their personal crusade:
"People are mad because I call the Books names, but they call us monsters, incurable, creeping crud, and ticking time bombs. They have repeatedly called my registration office in attempts to intimidate me. Obviously, they are trying to use the courts for the same purpose. They are primarily responsible for forcing so many of Miami's registrant homeless population into homelessness. And as Senator, Lauren Book is trying to pass more legislation to stop us from speaking out against her.
Book's HB 1301 is nothing but a thinly-veiled effort to stop anti-registry activists from organizing. Since Floridians aren't standing up for themselves, I and many of those who attended my Rally in Tally in 2015 were from out-of-state. This bill serves no purpose but to limit our rights to engage in peaceful demonstrations. That should be painfully obvious.
Senator Book should be brought up on ethics charges. She has done absolutely nothing useful in her time as Senator, save giving herself millions of dollars while sitting on Appropriations subcommittees. Of course, it should come as no shock that her only bills are against those on the registry. She is a very vindictive, evil person and is the worst kind of politician you can have in office. She should be challenged by more people, but it seems I'm the only one not afraid to take her down."
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