click() interfering with get()

click() interfering with get()

$(document).ready(function(){
    $("#emailSubmitBtn").click(function () {
        $.get("/site/content/test.lasso", { "message": "Hello", "recipient": "Fred" } ,
        function(returned_data){
            alert("Data Loaded: " + returned_data);
        });
    });
});

produces no returned data, but if I comment out the .click() line (and corresponding brackets) the expected data is returned.

I want the .get() triggered by clicking #emailSubmitBtn. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks