Posted on 03/29/2005 11:36:57 AM PST by denver larry
DENVER (AP) -- The Secret Service says it is investigating the claims of three people who claim they were removed from President Bush's town hall meeting on Social Security last week after being singled out because of a bumper sticker on their car.
The three said they had obtained tickets through the office of Rep. Bob Beauprez, R-Colo., had passed through security and were preparing to take their seats when they were approached by what they thought was a Secret Service agent who asked them to leave.
One woman, Karen Bauer, 38, a marketing coordinator from Denver, said Monday the agent put his hand on her elbow and steered her away from her seat and toward an exit.
"The Secret Service had nothing to do with that," said Lon Garner, special agent in charge of the Secret Service office in Denver. "We are very sensitive to the First Amendment and general assembly rights as protected by the Constitution."
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The three who were removed, along with their attorney, Dan Recht, met with Garner on Monday. Recht said he may file a lawsuit based on the group's alleged violation of their First Amendment rights.
Garner said the group appeared confused as to who asked them to leave and declined to release further details, citing an ongoing investigation.
Alex Young, 25, an Internet technology worker from Denver who was among the three removed from the event March 17 at Wings over the Rockies, said officials told them the next day they were identified as belonging to the "No Blood for Oil" group.
Young said they belong to no such group, but the car they drove to the event had a bumper sticker that read: "No More Blood for Oil."
"I don't think a bumper sticker on a friend's car should disqualify me from seeing the president," Young said.
Beauprez distributed tickets to the event, which was part of President Bush's effort to gain support for his plan to overhaul Social Security. Messages left after-hours at Beauprez's office were not immediately returned Monday. A call to Bush's advance team in Denver went unanswered.
Lawrence Pacheco, a spokesman for Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo., said the congressman has asked the Secret Service about the group's allegations.
Young, like Bauer and lawyer Leslie Weise, 39, is a member of the Denver Progressives, a political activist group. He said the three had T-shirts underneath their business attire that read, "Stop the Lies" and they had talked about exposing them during Bush's visit. He said they had scrapped the plan by the time they arrived at the museum.
Recht said the T-shirts did not play a role in the group's removal.
"They hadn't done anything wrong. They weren't dressed inappropriately, they didn't say anything inappropriate," Recht said. "They were kicked out of this venue and not allowed to hear what the president had to say based solely on this political bumper sticker.
"The very essence of the First Amendment is that you can't be punished for the speech you make, the statements you make," Recht said.
President Bush has visited at least 17 states to gain support for his plan to change Social Security, meeting with people who are generally supportive.
Some people who have stood up to disrupt Bush while he was talking have been removed. But a group called Americans United to Protect Social Security said there have been at least two instances where people have been removed or barred from a Bush event beforehand.
In February, a "black list" of people banned from getting tickets was obtained and published by the Forum newspaper. The White House and the Republican Party denied such a list existed and Gov. John Hoeven's staff said no one was denied tickets.
Brad Woodhouse, a spokesman for Americans United, called the Denver example the most egregious violation.
"They're screening the people who are allowed to come and then they're profiling them in the parking lot," he said. "It's quite extraordinary, and disappointing."
And where was the media when Clintoon was doing this on a regular basis????
Lets ask this reporter how many stories he did on THAT topic
Looks like they removed the right moonbats who were there to cause trouble.
And just why should the President allow any commie scumbags into his event?
Read the thing again, Mt. Recht.
We don't need to emulate Hitlery. Her style speaks louder than words.
LOLOL.....liar liar pants on fire. They got caught and now they're whining. Boohoo....NOT
And their proof of this is ... precisely what ? Their statements ? Sounds too convenient for me.
Sorry. It does not work like that. These forums have every right to toss people out who are not serious in participating and might be a security threat. The place for protests and hateful assembly is outside.
I have attended and worked events for the POTUS. I worked one events where the relatives of a young GOP ogranizer, who volunteered, were recognized and turned in by a sharp/alert volunteer who recognized the couple as local war protesters of the hate-America variety. They were promptly thrown out.
I can pretty much damn tell you that anyone that works these events knows that the left is just looking for a way to file a lawsuit, so every discretion is used in dealing with them.
Ooops, almost forgot to tell about those other bumper stickers:
* "___ Bush!"
* "Overthrow capitalism!"
* "D____ to Amerikkka!"
* Etc.
Oh, but my First Ammendment rights! ..... :P
So, whadda ya think about this?
I complained about this very process during the Clinton Administration and I am complaining now. This is not the way to go about things. Two wrongs do not make it right.
Yes you can. It is just your speech that can't be prohibited. Ever hear of slander? Crying "Fire" in a crowded theater? Campaign finance and speech restrictions?
No, but two Wrights do make a plane!
In February, a "black list" of people banned from getting tickets was obtained and published by the Forum newspaper. The White House and the Republican Party denied such a list existed and Gov. John Hoeven's staff said no one was denied tickets.
What is it with Democrats and fake documents? Will they never learn?
Owl_Eagle
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
sure, sure they scrapped the plans. bet the only reaqson was the fact that they got the old heave-ho.
sounds like the target was fairly and squarely hit. wahwahwah!
What bumper sticker motive? It was clearly the super secret X-ray machine which can read under layers of clothing which gave them away. Or, maybe they were still discussing their "little plan" and some overheard them and turned the disrupters in.
How does he figure it was the bumper sticker? Seems like he doeth protest too much. Guilty conscience, no doubt.
indeed
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