Landis Response to USADA Document Request

Received from the FFF, answering the USADA Document request of April 3rd.

USADA ATTORNEYS REQUEST CONFIDENTIAL, INAPROPRIATE AND IRRELEVANT DATA FROM FLOYD LANDIS

USADA Continues to Deny Landis Access to Key Witnesses and Information

New York, April 11, 2007 – The attorneys for the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) last week made a discovery request of Floyd Landis and his defense team which further highlights their disrespect for Mr. Landis’ civil rights and those of his supporters. The request, designed to further burden Mr. Landis’ defense against unsubstantiated doping allegations, highlights USADA’s role as an unchecked prosecutor relentlessly working to limit the defendants ability to exercise his right to equal protection under the law. The letter (attached) is another example of USADA’s disregard for their fundamental charter and athletes’ due process rights.

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Sent via email from USADA’s outside counsel, the letter asks that Mr. Landis produce documents that are irrelevant to the material aspects of the case and, in some cases, are a direct assault on his civil liberties, HIPPA regulations and to the rights that govern legal proceedings taking place in democratic societies. The letter also explicitly asks for Mr. Landis’ attorneys to reveal additional defense strategies to opposing counsel.

Further advancing their position that Landis should not have access to the resources to defend himself against a taxpayer-funded agency, USADA also takes particular objection to the fundraising and political efforts of the Floyd Fairness Fund (FFF). The letter claims that Mr. Landis and the FFF are working to “coerce” those elected officials who have entrusted USADA with taxpayer dollars. It characterizes the FFF’s effort to encourage a more fair, effective and efficient anti-doping agency as interfering with the adjudication process while at the same time infringing upon Landis’ First Amendment right to petition the government.

Floyd Landis said, “In light of the fact that USADA won’t produce critical information or allow me to depose or call key witnesses in person that will help me get a fair and unbiased hearing in May, it’s outrageous that they would send a letter to my lawyers asking for things like receipts for medical visits, complete donor-records from the Floyd Fairness Fund and a history of all of the posts that I made on the Internet. That’s just harassment, and the last time I checked, it would constitute an invasion of my privacy and of the privacy of everyone who wants to see this hearing conducted in accordance with the principles of fairness and justice.”

“USADA clearly thinks that they’re above the law – and that’s precisely why we’ve been asking our elected representatives to look into USADA’s unfair and un-American tactics. The Senators and Congressmen that I have met with have expressed their support for our cause and applauded our efforts to bring USADA’s abuses to their attention. To call my conversations with our lawmakers “coercion” is an insult to them and to the foundational principles of American democracy.”

End of statement from the FFF.