Posted on 06/22/2014 9:46:23 AM PDT by gorush
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A pedestrian bridge over Interstate 90 has linked the two sides of a western Wisconsin burg for decades, providing a test of courage for bike-riding children and a symbol of home for travelers returning from Minnesota.
Over the last year, the town of Campbells overpass has become the front line in a Hatfield vs. McCoy free-speech clash between a tea party activist and the police chief.
The fight was spurred by last summers national push for tea party overpass protests calling for President Barack Obamas impeachment. Nowhere, though, has the protest caused as much of an uproar as in Campbell.
The local tea party alleges the town and Police Chief Tim Kelemen are trying to curtail their free-speech rights by banning signs on the overpass. The chief, for his part, maintains tea party supporters responded to the ordinance by deluging his agency with complaints and threats. So, he fought back by registering one of the partys leading activists with websites for gay dating, pornographic and federal health care.
Now Keleman could lose his job and possibly face criminal charges.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Lawyers these days! Gotta love ‘em.
Sort of like when I signed up this jerk that was calling our house making obscene phone calls for NAMBLA....
Right next to Lacrosse, WI.
The Ruling Class is fighting back.
Time you peasants learn your place.
Sherrif Bullard: "Don't ever do nothin' like this again. Don't come back up here."
(Deliverance, 1972)
I dealt with this exact same thing last year. People were protesting Obama et al. Located on an interstate overpass. It was my area to patrol. Went through it several times. Eventually, I got a call that the signs were causing people to slow down on the interstate to read them, thus causing an accordion style traffic issue. Went out to talk to them and I hadn’t even got out of the car yet when I heard them say” Here they come...”. And out came the cameras. Knowing full well that they wanted to bait me into saying or doing something stupid...i merely told them that we had a complaint, that I didn’t think that they were allowed to post signs on the overpass, ut I would check into it and get back to them. Looked up the state code (Virginia), called the Commonwealths Attorney, printed out the code section...and came back. Showed them the code, and asked them to take the signs down. They could stay and hold signs up all they wanted...just could affix them.onto the fencing over the interstate. I was polite, professional and courteous....and I know my shit. In response, a good portion of them were aholes to me. Really pissed me off because I was on their side as far as the message, but they treated me.like I was an idiot. The best part...despite all the video, it never made it to the internet because they couldn’t bait me into being an ass to them. As the cameras were being shut off as I spoke to them professionally, I told them...”no no...keep recording...this is important”. They walked away... I find it sad that they don’t realize they have support in areas where they don’t even realize it...yet do their best to drive people away from them...
Thanks. I found the overpass. It’s part of Bainbridge Ave. But every map I’ve consulted says that’s part of La Crosse.
Ive looked on three road maps for Wisconsin and the closest I can come to Campbell is a Campbellsport which is in the eastern part of the state and nowhere near I-90.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell,_Wisconsin
http://www.campbellpolice.com/
(Has a pic of Keleman right on their front page.)
Town of Campbell WI Police Write Citations For Displaying US Flag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPmSgMTXiqo
Town of Campbell Board investigating police chief’s actions
Chief stays on the job while board decides the next step
http://www.news8000.com/news/town-of-campbell-police-chiefs-attorney-explains-investigation/26427478
(video at link.)
I guess it could be an un-incorporated part of Lacrosse.
Like you mentioned to the people you confronted, the police told the sign hangers the signs were illegal and could cause a traffic accident. As a pro Tea Party Freeper, I'm hardly opposed to people carrying signs in lawful places. These sign hangers were out of line. And one of them was recorded calling the cops all sorts of vile names. Some people on our side can be as deranged as leftists.
“loose” = “lose” ... oops.
It’s actually a town (town and range) separated by the Black River apart from La Crosse. It’s located on what is known as French Island by most of the local residents and where the La Crosse County Airport is located.
That’s the place, smack in the middle of the river. I used to live nearby and the whole LaX area is a quite a cesspool of liberal nuts, river people, and entitlement freaks.
So you're saying that global warming, the melting of the ice caps and rising water levels in the oceans, lakes and rivers will not be all bad?
“Kelemans lawyer, Jim Birnbaum, counters that the tea party pushed his client to the edge.
Theres a major difference between an exercise of poor judgment and a crime, Birnbaum said. Theyre under fire with threats. The tea party invited the wolves out of the forest.
And this from the attorney for the scumbag LEO who should be fired and tossed in jail where he can experience REAL porn.
If the LEO can’t handle this sort of pressure, he is surely unfit for the job!
Malicious Slander with criminal intent.
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.