Activist Arrested for Halloween Stunt

AP ^ | 10/31/06 | JERRY HARKAVY

[kiriath_jearim]

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine -- The lawyer who divulged President Bush's drunken-driving arrest days before the 2000 election was arrested Tuesday after he was spotted on a highway overpass wearing an Osama bin Laden Halloween costume and holding a toy gun.

Tom Connolly, 49, was charged with criminal threatening, a misdemeanor, and was released after posting $500 bail. He said he intends to plead not guilty.

"There was a First Amendment this morning when I woke up. I don't know how it evaporated with the dawn," Connolly, an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for governor in 1998, told reporters after his release.

Police said the costume included plastic dynamite, grenades, and a replica of an AK-47 assault rifle.

"The whole thing is just incredibly bizarre," said Police Chief Ed Googins. "It just crossed the line."

The chief said there was no way to tell from a distance if the gun was real or fake.

Connolly also was carrying a sign that said "I love TABOR," a reference to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights on the Maine ballot, but at least one person who saw it thought it said "I love the Taliban," Googins said.

The Portland attorney is known for wearing costumes to make political statements, often donning a George W. Bush mask and dancing for passing motorists.

His wife has described him as "marvelously eccentric."

In 2000, Connolly acknowledged that he tipped off reporters about Bush's 24-year-old misdemeanor drunken driving charge at Kennebunkport. Republicans said the release of the information before the election was a Democratic dirty trick.

[RexBeach]

What a putz.

[wideawake]

The Portland attorney is known for wearing costumes to make political statements, often donning a George W. Bush mask and dancing for passing motorists.

He'll die by his own hand one day. These types always do.

[kinoxi]

For once I wish the police would have mistakenly shot the person with the fake gun.

[San Jacinto]

How come somebody didn't blow him away for the $25 mil reward?

[lafroste]

Liberalism IS a mental disease. These people are getting nuttier by the moment.

Its a good thing that the conservatives are the ones that own all of the guns. We may need them.

[antiRepublicrat]

Cool costume.

Maybe if I'm lucky next year I can dress as Saddam Hussein with a noose (they'd better not give that bastard the satisfaction of a firing squad).

[theDentist]

His wife has described him as "marvelously eccentric."

When the divorce arrives, she's change that description to "f***ing lunatic."

[lowbridge]

The lawyer who divulged President Bush's drunken-driving arrest days before the 2000 election was arrested Tuesday after he was spotted on a highway overpass wearing an Osama bin Laden Halloween costume and holding a toy gun.

Well, it looks as if we have captured Osama Bin Laden. Not sure if its really him? Lets make sure. Send him to Guantanamo and subject him to some waterboarding.

[BenLurkin]

Why do I get the feeling that if this guy supports something called "the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights" that it is in fact BAD for taxpayers.

[SquirrelKing]

...but at least one person who saw it thought it said "I love the Taliban," Googins said.

BWUHAHAHAHAHA!

[wideawake]

He does not support the TaBOR - which is good, solid conservative legislation.

He dressed up as bin Laden and held up a sign saying "I Love The TaBOR" in order to associate the TaBOR with terrorism.

[Rocket1968]

I seriously doubt that he supports TABOR. I think he was trying to assert that passage of TABOR would be akin to terrorism??? You know, women and children hardest hit! -that sort of thing. The guy is a well known lefty moonbat. He is actually dumber than J. F'in Kerry. Hard to believe but true.

[BenLurkin]

Sounds like a demented lefty.

[MamaTexan]

"There was a First Amendment this morning when I woke up. I don't know how it evaporated with the dawn,"

Your freedom to speak was lucky it didn't run into somebody else's right to keep and bear arms after that dumb@ss stunt.

It's a wonder he didn't cause an accident.

[P-40]

"There was a First Amendment this morning when I woke up.

There used to be a Second Amendment also that would let you carry a gun. :)

[TChris]

These narcissistic lefties are always so ticked off that their eccentricities and stunts actually have consequences.

[The Old Hoosier]

The Ghost of October Surprise Past...

[tet68]

He's lucky someone didn't blow his brains out!

[tet68]

"There was a First Amendment this morning when I woke up. I don't know how it evaporated with the dawn,"

It didn't evaporate, idiot fascists like this ridiculed it
to death.

Someone SHOULD have shot him!