Posted on 02/01/2006 6:06:11 PM PST by Nachum
Less than 24 hours after anti-Bush peace activist Cindy Sheehan was arrested for "unlawful conduct" at last night's State of the Union address, the charge is being dropped and federal officials are apologizing.
"The officers made a good faith, but mistaken effort to enforce an old unwritten interpretation of the prohibitions about demonstrating in the Capitol. The policy and procedures were too vague," said Capitol Police Chief Terrance W. Gainer. "The failure to adequately prepare the officers is mine."
Sheehan was taken into custody shortly after unzipping her jacket, revealing her T-shirt, which had the message, "2245 Dead. How many more?"
In addition, Beverly Young, the wife of U.S. Rep. Bill Young, R- Fla., was also ejected from the House gallery for wearing a shirt that read, "Support the Troops – Defending Our Freedom."
According to a release from Capitol Police this evening, "it was determined that while officers acted in a manner consistent with the rules of decorum enforced by the department in the House gallery for years, neither Mrs. Sheehan's manner of dress or initial conduct warranted law enforcement intervention. The USCP also asked Mrs. Beverly Young, to leave the gallery because of a T-shirt she was wearing. Mrs. Young did not return to the Gallery so there was no need for further police action. Neither guest should have been confronted about the expressive T-shirts."
As WND is reporting, Sheehan says she intends to sue over her arrest.
"I am so upset and sore it is hard to think straight," Sheehan writes in her online diary. "I have some lawyers looking into filing a First Amendment lawsuit against the government for what happened tonight. I will file it. It is time to take our freedoms and our country back. I don't want to live in a country that prohibits any person, whether he/she has paid the ultimate price for that country, from wearing, saying, writing, or telephoning any negative statements about the government. That's why I am going to take my freedoms and liberties back. That's why I am not going to let Bushco take anything else away from me ... or you."
Yes, Mrs. Young left when asked, BUT the truth of the matter is the Dems would have been all over this and would have done their usual lying, which they are doing anyway, and made it seem as if the Republican was receiving special treatment. I personally, would not have appologized but then again I am not in charge.
Everyone is. Somehow, however, the idiot media keeps pushing the neurotic freakshow known as Cindy Sheehan.
Huge mistake - look for the riots inside the chamber next! Micheal moreon will be there next.
If you wear a t-shirt to the State of the Union, you should be escorted out just on general principles.
No apology needed here.
I expect that this came direct from the white house. The president was probably appaled that Sheehan was forcibly removed. No to mention that Rove doens't want to give anyone, much less her, martyrdom status.
The apology was a smart move.
Big friggin deal. If this idiot wants to "take responsibility"........he can pay any judgement in Sheehan's favor out of his own pocket instead of mine. Why doesn't the moron resign if he thinks he "screwed-up".
Well, I doubt they're really sorry.
At least until December 2008.
Oh yeah! I forgot, ;-)
I'm pretty sure Sheehan wanted to get kicked out anyway and that's why she pulled the stunt. She was in way over hear head. Just like the people that pull her strings. I mean really, did you see Hillary Clinton? She's almost as bad as Sheehan and also acts like a little child. It's amazing how stupid Hillary Clinton actually is and what a tin ear she has for politics. It never was Hillary, it was always Bill, who is the idiot savant of modern American politics.
I think you are exactly right. Everything she does is subversive and suspect. The B^$*@ should never have been allowed to be anywhere in close proximity to the President. I am sick to death of her and her publicity whoring. Bush should take out a restraining order on her and keep her at least 50 feet from any building he's in, or something.
The socialist and subversives she's allied with are likely to do ANYTHING anymore.
WHO IS PAYING THIS WOMAN'S BAIL??????????????????/
Capitol cops have long been nutless, "for display only" hacks.
But I LIKE the mediawhore. The more shenanigans she pulls, the stupider and more tiresome the left looks.
I hope it goes all the way to the supreme court. HA HA.
So it is ok with this nutjob that she craps on all of us Just where is our say in this abomination??
Sounds like good sense. I would hate to think I could be arrested and not just asked to leave based on a tshirt. Sorry, but getting arrested without the chance to remove yourself from the offended party is too much. You also shouldn't have someone arrested just on your personal opinions.
LOL, the fact they disrupted the disrupter is worth a mild appology after the fact. The end result is she was prevented from getting her way, that's all that matters.
Well that opened the door for the moronic left to hold sit-ins, die-ins, or whatever else they want to do. Another piece of dignity and tradition gone. Its probably cause the skanky slob threatened to sue them. They also kicked out a Republican woman who was wearing a "Support Our Troops" t-shirt. I wonder if they apologized to her.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.