Posted on 09/30/2008 12:20:22 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson
No one involved 'has any intention of prosecuting anybody'
Missouri law officials, including public prosecutors, who were reportedly planning to "respond immediately" to any misleading advertisements against Barack Obama if they "might violate Missouri ethics laws," have now backed off the intimidating implications of that report, promising they have no intention of prosecuting anyone.
< snip >
A spokeswoman for St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce . . . told WND that the televised "Truth Squad" announcement was misunderstood.
"The only action they would take would be to provide truthful information to the public so they can make up their minds," said Susan Ryan. "Neither (Joyce) nor anybody involved in this has any intention of prosecuting anybody."
When asked if the initial announcement suggested legal ramifications for "crossing ethics laws in Missouri," Ryan confirmed, "Unfortunately it did suggest that, but the 'Truth Squad' has no intention of prosecuting anyone for this."
< snip >
When [Gov. Matt] Blunt was asked if he would take action against the attorneys, he said, "They have really stepped back from how they announced this. When they announced this I think it was intimidating. … In a lot of ways they have reversed course, and I'm glad to see that."
< snip >
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
I don’t doubt it either and the GOP and new media needs to jump all over this. This is right out of 1984, and I don’t mean the calendar year.
THERE NEEDS TO BE FULL INVESTIGATION OF THESE LOSERS FOR USING THEIR OFFICES “IMPROPERLY”, ALA THE PALIN TROOPERGATE INVESTIGATION! Hehe...
I called both of their offices on Friday. In a fictional scenario I created to smoke them out, they both wanted to know the name of a St. Louis printer printing bumper stickers that said BARACK OBAMA IS A MUSLIM. They are lying. Until the public outcry, they certainly would have wanted to arrest people.
However, what these "prosecutors STILL said was: " "The only action they would take would be to provide truthful information to the public so they can make up their minds," said Susan Ryan. "Neither (Joyce) nor anybody involved in this has any intention of prosecuting anybody."......and....."When asked if the initial announcement suggested legal ramifications for "crossing ethics laws in Missouri," Ryan confirmed, "Unfortunately it did suggest that, but the 'Truth Squad' has no intention of prosecuting anyone for this.""
That's not good enough. When it comes to their official duties and their public role in those duties, as applies to political speech (which includes advertisements) they have no legal role with which to establish themselves as to what "the truth" is. Those involved on either side of a political claim have the remedy in civil action in the courts, not prosecutors acting on their own as judge and jury on any political speech.
O.K. everyone: Time to hit Governor Blunt's inbox to let him know his job is not yet done on this issue.
Mr. Nifong, Ms. Joyce.
1939
No, no, no. We aren’t going to kill every Jew in Germany. We just want them all to wear these ^tiny^ little fabric Stars as identification.
Don’t worry, it won’t be any worse than that.
If it wasn’t for the internet, and sites like FR, this would never have gotten any attention and Obama’s supporters would have been able to supress free speech.
Seems like a clear violation of the Hatch Act.
I live in Missouri. I read this news, and I thought, “The people of Missouri have a lot of guns, but we may have to use them before we had planned.”
I voted for Claire McCaskill, and she must now be voted out.
What a crime against our people!” Obama is a curse on America!
Downright scary. In the past this kind of tactic, plus news of the 0bama youths, would have helped sink his campaign. Not now though.
I wonder if this story is getting a lot of play statewide in MO. It is the sort of thing that ought to cost the Dems the state.
Their response is phony, they were caught red handed and are only backing off because of the bad publicity. I’d still like to know where the US attorney for that region is, no way those involved should get a free pass, it’s not right and would give the impression lawyers stick together regardless of party if nothing is done. How obvious can it be there a was a violation of federal civil rights laws?
and a Stalinist!
“The only action they would take would be to provide truthful information to the public so they can make up their minds,”
If they really did that, BO would be running from the police!
What were you thinking??!!
I'm glad you have seen the light.
Here’s the response and it’s so disingenuous. The same reporter goes out of his way to spin it for the truth squad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efsr4DJrwg4
"everything is fine... move along"
Instead of SS it will be called TS. That is our change.
These are professional prosecutors. They knew damn well exactly what they were doing and exactly how it looked in that report. They wanted to intimidate, cast fear, and they were willing to use their positions for partisan effect.
They should be removed from office.
The only thing I believe they didn’t realize is how absolutely infuriated people from all across the country would become when seeing their Gestapo bullshit in the KMOV piece.
That is what I want to know. It was clearly, in my mind, a case of voter intimidation.
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.