In a diary by hester yesterday titled Cheney to be deposed we learned that a Colorado man named Steven Howards has filed a lawsuit against five secret service agents in Cheney's security detail. Hopefully this is not the last time we see Dick Cheney in court.
Mr. Howards has admitted to approaching Mr. Cheney and saying the administration’s policies in Iraq were disgusting, or words to that effect. He walked away unhindered by Secret Service agents, but he was arrested by them about 10 minutes later for what they said was the "assault" on the vice president.
Mr. Howards was detained by the Secret Service and local law enforcement officials, then released. Misdemeanor harassment charges were filed, then dropped by the local district attorney. Several of the agents, in their depositions, have accused one another of unethical and perhaps even illegal conduct in handling the matter.
NY Times
More below the fold
Agents called the incident an assault and arrested Howards, but a state prosecutor later dropped a harassment charge. Howards filed suit, alleging the arrest was in retaliation for disagreeing with Cheney and a violation of his constitutional rights to free speech and protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
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Howards’ attorney David Lane said agents have given conflicting accounts of Howards’ interaction with the vice president, with at least one saying Howards shoved Cheney in the back and another saying Howards shook Cheney’s hand and patted his shoulder.
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Howards has said he walked away after the alleged confrontation. He had dropped off one son at a piano recital nearby and was walking back through the area with another young son when he was arrested.
Boston Herald
I am not surprised that Dick Cheney would try to deny a man his First Amendment right to freedom of speech. I am not surprised that Dick Cheney would seek retaliation against a voter who expresses an opinion that Dick Cheney does not agree with. I am not surprised that Dick Cheney ordered Federal agents to commit a crime and encouraged them to lie in their testimony. Least surprising at all is the fact that Dick Cheney is a vengeful, hateful little piss ant who considers himself not only above the law, but above reproach.
That comes to the crux of our nation's problems, both in matters of civil liberties and economics. Conservatives have divorced themselves from reality. Political Conservatives have not realized that their ideas are broken. Business Conservatives do not realize that we cannot continue going about business as usual. These people think they are above the law, or, for some reason known only among themselves, that they are the exception to the rule, and the law applies to us, but not them.
How many crimes could Cheney be implicated in through this incident alone I do not know. Maybe a Truthiness Commission should have been set up first?
Where are the strict Constitutional interpreters when we need them?
Increasingly, we are being intimidated into suppressing any attempt at dissent. . .
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Add that to your mental list of infringements on our freedoms. You know, the ones that are disappearing on a sickeningly regular basis.
blogspot.com
Someone tell Sen. Leahy or AG Holder that they have the power to seek justice, or they will be guilty of Obstruction of Justice.
Please, if you have not done so yet, sign the Petition to Prosecute Bush/Cheney. The link is available below. Precedents have been set that must be declared illegal. Our liberty depends on it.
Petition for a special-prosecutor-for-bush-war-crimes
You can also show your support For Bush/Cheney Prosecution by joining the Bail Out The People Movement on April 3 & 4 in a protest at Wall St. Prosecuting the Bush Administration is vital to taking our country back for the people. You can show your support by clicking on the link below
Bail Out The People! a grassroots movement
or by contacting this email
bailoutpeople@safewebmail.com