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Denver Police Department "spy file" describes Libertarian Party as a "militia" type organization.
Libertarian Party ^ | 9/24/02 | LP.org

Posted on 09/24/2002 2:09:34 PM PDT by BlessingInDisguise

Colorado Libertarians amused and irritated at secret ‘spy file’ kept by Denver police

Colorado LP leaders say they are more amused than angry that a newly released Denver Police Department "spy file" describes the Libertarian Party as a "militia" type organization.

"A political party as a militia group? How ridiculous!" said John Berntson, State Chair of the Colorado LP. "Is this the quality of the law enforcement in Denver? Is Barney Fife running the shop?"

According to news reports, the Denver Police Department maintained files on approximately 3,200 Colorado citizens and 208 organizations from across the political spectrum.

The files, which were released to the public in early September, listed the Libertarian Party as a "Militia type organization, pro gun rights."

Former Colorado LP Publications Director Ari Armstrong said the analysis of the party as a militia-style group is flat out wrong.

"The Libertarian Party does not conduct or participate in military-style training," he noted. Instead, it runs candidates for public office, engages in political lobbying efforts, and "participates in peaceable demonstrations in support of individual rights.

"Why the Denver Police Department targeted for investigation the Libertarian Party for peaceably advocating the Bill of Rights remains a mystery," he said.

Overall, the revelation of a Libertarian Party police file was "not a surprise, but it's an outrage," said Armstrong. "Apparently, peaceably advocating the Bill of Rights warrants a police investigation."

The mischaracterization of the Libertarian Party's political nature does raise profound doubts about the intelligence of the Denver Police, said Berntson.

"The files themselves are laughable to the extent that they illustrate just how pathetically ill-informed the Denver P.D. is," he said. "They are also scary for the same reason.

"This is nothing more than government inefficiency and stupidity. This is Denver's tax dollars at their worst, and Denver's citizens should be appalled at their police."

The files became public knowledge this spring, and set off a firestorm of controversy throughout Colorado. Civil libertarians said the files were a worrisome invasion of privacy, similar to the surveillance files kept by former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.

In response, Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb instructed the police department to destroy the files -- but only after giving copies to the individuals and organizations that had been monitored.

"It was very clear that something went wrong here," said Andrew Hudson, a spokesman for the mayor. "[Police] intelligence work is necessary, but has to be done right and in a way in which civil liberties aren't trampled."

Began in 1999, the spy files were in the form of a computer database. Records were kept on community activists, "social justice" organizations, and individuals who had attended political meetings and rallies.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Denver Police Department over the files.

The release of the files began in early September. About 300 people and representative of about 70 groups crowded into police headquarters to review their files.

Walter Schlomer, the Colorado LP's fundraising director, picked up a copy of the Libertarian Party's file on September 5.

"It's an outrage," said Schlomer. "In spite of no record of violence or illegal activity of any kind, the Denver P.D. felt it neessary to secretly spy on the LP and keep track of our activities."

In addition to describing the Libertarian Party as a "Militia type organization," and noting it was "pro gun rights," the brief file gave the LP a "Law Enforcement" classification. Police did not explain what that meant.

The file also listed the Libertarian Party's "AKA Name" as the "Denver Metro Libertarian Party," which is a local affiliate of the state LP. In a section labeled "Person Associations," five listings were blacked out.

"There are words and lines blacked out by what looks to be a black marker," said Schlomer. "These represent names in the first two lines and I'm not sure what in the next lines."

Responding to criticism about the files, the Denver Police Department acknowledged that some groups were improperly characterized as "criminal extremists." A police spokesman said untrained clerks mistakenly shoehorned every organization into the few options available in the software's limited menu.

The spokesman also said the department will continue to maintain "intelligence files" only on people who are suspected or convicted of criminal activity, and will have an outside consultant review the files for appropriateness.


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KEYWORDS: colorado; denver; libertarian; libertarians; police
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More wackiness from the land of Columbine.
1 posted on 09/24/2002 2:09:34 PM PDT by BlessingInDisguise
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To: BlessingInDisguise
The Denver PD is both stupid and brutal.
2 posted on 09/24/2002 2:12:35 PM PDT by white trash redneck
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To: BlessingInDisguise
Many of us here will be calling the Colorado Libertarians far worse they cost the Republicans control of the Senate.
3 posted on 09/24/2002 2:13:04 PM PDT by Kaisersrsic
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To: BlessingInDisguise
"It's an outrage," said Schlomer. "In spite of no record of violence or illegal activity of any kind, the Denver P.D. felt it neessary to secretly spy on the LP and keep track of our activities."

Wonder if they did the same with the local Islamic churches.

4 posted on 09/24/2002 2:14:12 PM PDT by chance33_98
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To: Kaisersrsic
The Republicans don't deserve control of the Senate.
5 posted on 09/24/2002 2:15:49 PM PDT by BlessingInDisguise
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To: *libertarians
Records were kept on community activists, "social justice" organizations, and individuals who had attended political meetings and rallies.

But, but, everyone keeps telling us, "If you haven't done anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about"

Sounds like these guys studied law in East Germany.

6 posted on 09/24/2002 2:16:01 PM PDT by freeeee
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To: BlessingInDisguise
Sounds like the Denver PD were following the Reno Justice guidelines for spotting domestic terrorists.

Just curious, did they have a file on the Colorado gun grabbers like the MMM?
7 posted on 09/24/2002 2:18:51 PM PDT by TC Rider
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To: technochick99; Lazamataz
FYI..
8 posted on 09/24/2002 2:19:44 PM PDT by Freedom2specul8
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To: BlessingInDisguise
In addition to describing the Libertarian Party as a "Militia type organization," and noting it was "pro gun rights," ...

Now I have the urge to buy more guns.

9 posted on 09/24/2002 2:19:52 PM PDT by Liberal Classic
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To: Kaisersrsic
Yea. it is too bad that old Nadar & Buchanan runs wlong with Harry. Those terrible dems got all the nice offices in "the fiefdom".
The GOP told me that if I voted for Pat Buchanan it would put a man in the White House who would sign McCain- Feingold.

The GOP told me that if I voted for Pat Buchanan it would put a man in the White House who would put political expediency ahead of the Constitution.

The GOP told me that if I voted for Pat Buchanan it would put a man in the White House who would vote for the NEA’s agenda on education spending.

The GOP told me that if I voted for Pat Buchanan it would put a man in the White House who would make the tax code even more complicated.

The GOP told me that if I voted for Pat Buchanan it would put a man in the office who would leave the Clinton executive orders in effect.

The GOP told me that if I vote for Pat Buchanan it would put a man in the White House who would be sympathetic to illegal aliens.

Well I did vote for Pat Buchanan - Every one of those things that the GOP predicted has come to pass.

10 posted on 09/24/2002 2:21:02 PM PDT by Digger
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To: BlessingInDisguise
"A police spokesman said untrained clerks mistakenly shoehorned every organization into the few options available in the software's limited menu. "

Dog ate my homework.

11 posted on 09/24/2002 2:21:02 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: BlessingInDisguise
Denver? My, my.

Just happens to be where Ismael Mena used to live.

12 posted on 09/24/2002 2:21:36 PM PDT by DuncanWaring
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To: Kaisersrsic
Many of us here will be calling the Colorado Libertarians far worse they cost the Republicans control of the Senate.

It is impossible for the Libertarians to 'cost' the Republicans control of the Senate.

Republicans have a platform unattractive to Libertarians, so why on earth would Republicans expect Libertarians to vote for them?

This sounds like the crybaby democrats pointing fingers at the Greens.

13 posted on 09/24/2002 2:25:07 PM PDT by Pahuanui
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To: chance33_98
Wonder if they did the same with the local Islamic churches.

Definitely not; they probably threw in the Mormons </sarcasm?>

14 posted on 09/24/2002 2:25:44 PM PDT by steveegg
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To: white trash redneck
The Denver PD is both stupid and brutal.

LOL! It is kind of mind-boggling that they could be even more clueless than the libertarians.
Everybody knows libertarians have a limited attention span and are more focused on legalized hemp.

15 posted on 09/24/2002 2:33:07 PM PDT by Willie Green
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To: Willie Green
Everybody knows libertarians have a limited attention span...

Argumentum ad populum, to say nothing of ad hominem.

Do us all a favor, and go down to your local shop and buy a new gun. Thanks.

16 posted on 09/24/2002 2:38:26 PM PDT by Liberal Classic
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To: Willie Green
Congratulations Willie. You just got the Dope Monger of the Day award. On a thread where no one else mentions drugs, you were the first to bring up this irrelavent opinion.

FYI... the LP'ers down here in Austin, TX are more concerned with restoring the full force of the BOR than anything else. The Drug Issue would fix itself after that.

Limited attention span? Aren't you one of those one trick ponies that hears the word "libertarian" and can't think of anything other than dope?

How does being pro-Constitution equate with "clueless" in your book? You aren't one of those anti-USA commie types are you?

17 posted on 09/24/2002 2:40:12 PM PDT by Dead Corpse
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To: Digger
A most excellent summation of Bush malfeasance, similar in tone to what I was told about voting for Goldwater re Vietnam.
18 posted on 09/24/2002 2:41:52 PM PDT by rightofrush
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To: Pahuanui
I'd like to see a Libertarian militia combat unit....About all you could do with them would be to put them up against a French unit for a relay race to see who could surrender fastest. Tough call.

Like the French, they prefer to be overrun and then whine incessantly at their occupiers in the hopes that they will leave. Tactical wizards, both of them.

19 posted on 09/24/2002 2:43:31 PM PDT by 11B3
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To: Dead Corpse
Aren't you one of those one trick ponies that hears the word "libertarian" and can't think of anything other than dope?

No, libertarian shortcomings are much more plentiful than that: pro-abortion, open borders, etc. etc.
I simply picked on the druggies at random.

20 posted on 09/24/2002 2:48:52 PM PDT by Willie Green
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