This week, Free Speech Coalition (FSC) Executive Director Diane Duke returned from a trip to the Southeast, where she participated in the "Suing the Feds: What the FSC's Newest 2257 Lawsuit Means to the Industry and You" panel at this year's Internext, held in Hollywood, Fla.

The seminar also featured attorney Michael Murray who has been retained by the FSC to mount the next challenge to 18 U.S.C. 2257 revisions, which were released in December.

Duke also took a side trip to the nation's capitol where she met with legislators and introduced herself as the new FSC lobbyist. FSC funds lobbying in both Washington and Sacramento, in order to represent the best interests of the adult entertainment industry to federal and state legislators.

2257 regulations, intellectual property and copyright laws, and many other regulations have a direct affect on your bottom line as an adult business professional. As your trade association, FSC is spearheading efforts to make sure that your voice is heard on a federal and state level.

Duke visited Sacramento in July to argue against a proposed 20 percent tax on adult products that would have greatly affected retailers in California. She worked alongside representatives from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and FSC's Sacramento lobbyist Ignacio Hernandez. The tax bill was killed after Duke and several others testified before the Assembly Revenue and Tax Committee

Duke answered a few questions about her recent experience on Capitol Hill and the reaction from both Democrats and Republicans.

1) Who did you see, and were the legislators receptive to you as a representative for the adult industry?

Diane Duke: Our friends in Washington helped us with appointments and as a result I spoke to staffers in a number of high level legislative offices. Everyone I met with was extremely informative and receptive. I also met with Joe Brennan from Interactive Media & Gaming Association (IMEGA), my counterpart in the online gaming industry, and Jim Turner with the Woodhull Freedom Foundation.

2) What topics did you talk about? Did they have topics that they wanted to ask about?

DD: I was there to introduce myself as FSC's Executive Director and Federal Lobbyist and to educate them about FSC and the adult entertainment industry. I asked them to tell me about their perceptions of the adult entertainment industry; what they have heard about our industry; and what concerns they might have about adult entertainment industry. I was there to help dispel many myths and misinformation about the industry and did so. Then I asked them to be willing to bring us to the table when considering legislation that would impact our industry and to consider us a resource. We also discussed the negative impact of copyright infringement on our industry and our interest in legislation that could protect our content providers.

3) Did you talk to Democrats and Republicans, and how do you feel about the new administration and its potential for dealing with the adult industry?

DD: I spoke with both Democrats and Republicans, and they were equally gracious. As far as the current administration; from my discussions I learned that they still haven't filled all the positions at the DOJ. While I don't think the Obama Administration is going to be an advocate for our industry, there are much more critical issues on the front burner. Time will tell.