Professor Brian Turner, Chair of both the Political Science Department at Randolph Macon College and the AAUP's Committee on Government Relations, joined Virginia State Senators Donald McEachin (Henrico) and J. Chapman Petersen (Fairfax) and State Delegate David Toscano (Charlottesville) in a press conference on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 to discuss pending legislation that, if passed, will limit the Virginia Attorney General’s use of Civil Investigative Demands and the Attorney General's ability to attack academic freedom.
Professor Turner shared faculty concerns about the “climate for academic freedom and scientific research in the Commonwealth”. He also stated that “a careful review of the Attorney General’s civil investigative demand that was sent to the University of Virginia can only lead to the conclusion that – this [The CID] is a political effort to intimidate researchers who are producing findings and interpretations with which certain political actors do not agree.”
Professor Turner’s comments begin at the 6:17 mark. Click here for the video.