http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c104:H.R.2580:

To guarantee a republican form of government to the States by preventing paramilitary violence.

Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mr. CONYERS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

" . . . this [?] violence has increased in part because of unfounded exaggerations about the impact of recent firearms laws such as the Brady Law and the ban on assault weapons, as well as baseless conspiracy theories regarding the government; "

H.R.2580 Title: To guarantee a republican form of government to the States by preventing paramilitary violence. Sponsor: Rep Schumer, Charles E. [NY-9] (introduced 11/2/1995) Cosponsors (6) Latest Major Action: 12/11/1995 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.
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COSPONSORS(6), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)

Rep Condit, Gary A. [CA-18] - 5/29/1996
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] - 11/2/1995
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] - 12/14/1995
Rep Johnston, Harry [FL-19] - 12/14/1995
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 12/14/1995
Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [NY-28] - 12/19/1995

In November 1995, Sen. Schumer introduced H.R. 2580, which, had it been enacted, would have made it a five year felony to engage in "unseemly speculation" [?] about the motives of federal officials, or to transmit, by electronic means, any "baseless conspiracy theories regarding the Federal government of the United States." [Internet]

Comment HOW DO YOU KNOW that some 'theory of conspiracy' is baseless ? There had been in the meanwhile more than one affair of the criminal nature involving the federal officials ; which of them might come under the particular heading of 'conspiracy' may be another question I would not bother to undertake. (Definition : 'conspiracy', an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime).

Engaging in 'speculation', even if unseemly, is outside the power of the legislators to prohibit ; at least it should not be, beyond the application of the existing libel laws when anything patently unseemly be published and be false. But this statement is not from a Governmental source so I do not know if it is true.

Had the proponents of this or some such bill proposed that no false information should be published by any newspapers or other media, that no text-books full of false data be published giving distorted history, giving bogus "science", etc. this might help with any "unfounded exaggerations about the impact of recent firearms laws such as the Brady Law and the ban on assault weapons" and with any like problems.

WPT, Sept 07.