Jeff Flake: “we need to focus this debate on the people who are involved. They include Zelma Brooks, A 65-year-old grandmother who…”

“we need to focus this debate on the people who are involved. They include Zelma Brooks, A 65-year-old grandmother who was only able to overturn an unfair eviction after 6 months of diligent work by LSC. If this happened today Legal Services Corporation would only be able to listen and offer advice. As much as critics try to make this about the liberal activists who support LSC, this is about Zelma Brooks and all of the people like her. This Congress has placed handcuffs on an organization that has been doing great work under already strained finances. Arguments about deficiencies in LSC are nothing more than rhetoric and exaggerations being used to mask the fact that we are trying to lock the doors of the civil courtrooms to a class of people. Anyone who wishes to destroy any organization can hold it up to the microscope and exploit imperfections. However, no amount of partisan attacks and criticism can mask the fact that millions of people who would normally be without courtroom access have received legal representation in gaining benefits which they were denied, overturning illegal evictions, and separating from abusive spouses. Can we in good conscience allow the poorest and most defenseless of our communities to be left without any protection against civil injustice?”