Contact: Dr. Elizabeth Rex, President of The Children First Foundation, 914-629-3710 cell, 877-386-3236, ElizabethRexCFF@aol.com, www.Fund-Adoption.org
MEDIA ADVISORY, July 8 /Christian Newswire/ -- “I am very grateful that the ‘Constitution State’ has reinstated our organization’s plate,” commented Dr. Elizabeth Rex, President of The Children First Foundation (CFF), who was greatly relieved to hear that the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles had officially and fully reinstated her organization’s pro-adoption “Choose Life” specialty plate.
Back on May 24, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Democratic State Representative Roberta Willis jointly signed a letter urging the DMV to “reconsider” and “rescind” the issuance of CFF’s specialty plate. On May 25, without any notification whatsoever from the DMV, a reporter called Dr. Rex with the news the DMV had initiated an investigation, suspended the issuance of CFF’s specialty plate and removed the “Choose Life” logo from the DMV web site.
CFF’s attorneys threatened to sue the DMV in federal court under the 14th Amendment that guarantees due process and equal protection under the law. In addition, Chapter 54 of Connecticut General Statutes clearly states:
“No revocation, suspension, annulment or withdrawal of any license is lawful unless, prior to the institution of agency proceedings, the agency gave notice by mail to the licensee of facts or conduct which warrant the intended action, and the licensee was given an opportunity to show compliance with all lawful requirements for the retention of the license.”
The DMV conducted a thorough investigation and signed a formal and legally-binding agreement with The Children First Foundation, confirming that the regional organization is now -- and always has been -- in full compliance with all DMV regulations and officially reinstating CFF’s “Choose Life” plate for purchase by its Connecticut members.
“No elected official is ever above the law,” commented Raymond W. Belair, Esq., who represented CFF along with attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund. “The resolution of this matter on terms acceptable to The Children First Foundation by the Department of Motor Vehicles represents an acknowledgment of that fact.”
“This unfortunate event has a happy ending,” said Dr. Rex, “Actually, that’s what Adoptions and Safe Havens are all about… more happy endings, more ‘smiling faces’ of children, like those on our ‘Choose Life’ plate.”
Founded in 2001, The Children First Foundation has raised and awarded over $37,000 in grants to Pregnancy Centers throughout the Tri-State Area to help promote and support adoption as a positive choice for unwanted pregnancies or newborns, including nearly $17,000 in grants to the AMT Children of Hope Safe Haven Program and the National Safe Haven Alliance.
