The power of PR will be on display in its full glory tomorrow when Congressman Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) convenes a hearing of the subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights on the State Dept’s “inadequate response to human rights concerns in Bolivia: The Case of American Jacob Ostreicher."

He’s the Brooklyn flooring contractor who has been jailed without formal charges in Bolivia for nearly a year. This website (May 15) profiled the efforts of 5W Public Relations, which was hired by Ostreicher’s family, to promote the plight of hunger striker Ostreicher. The case was going nowhere until 5W got involved.

The wife of Ostreicher, Miriam, has been on a non-stop media tour (CNN, Fox, ABC) to spotlight her husband’s condition. She will testify tomorrow with daughter, Chaya Gitty Weinberger.

New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand and Representatives Nydia Velazquez and Jerrold Nadler have signed an open letter to the Bolivian government asking it to grant bail to Ostreicher.

In addition, more than 35K people have signed a petition to President Obama asking him to exercise his vested powers to “see to it that Jacob does not spend another day in this anarchic prison. “With all avenues having been exhausted, it’s up you, Mr. President, to make sure an innocent man walks free,” it says.

You can access the action live at http://www.hcfa.house.gov. Well done, 5W.