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Release: First Amendment Rights Violated by McCain Campaign
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First Amendment Rights Violated by McCain Campaign:

Fund to Defend Librarian Carol Kreck Announced

 

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Contact: Michael Huttner
303-931-4547 cell

DENVER - ProgressNowAction announced today the creation of a fund to defend Carol Kreck, the 60-year-old librarian who was cited for trespassing yesterday while standing in line to attend Senator John McCain's "town hall meeting" in Denver.  The McCain event was billed as open to the public.

"We believe McCain's campaign violated Carol's First Amendment Rights," stated Peter Hedeen, Kreck's attorney.

Upon orders of McCain's Secret Service detail, Ms. Kreck was escorted from the public plaza of the Denver Performing Arts Complex.  She was ticketed for trespassing and issued a court summons.

When Ms. Kreck asked why this was happening, she was told she had to get rid of the sign she was holding.

"He said if I came back into the plaza I'd be arrested and taken to jail," Kreck said.

Her sign said simply:  McCain = Bush.  "Now why is that offensive?," asked Kreck.  "Why would Republicans who voted for Bush find that offensive?"

People in line had pro-McCain signs and buttons but no one other than Kreck was cited.

The Denver Performing Arts Complex is four-square-block site owned and operated by the City and County of Denver and subsidized largely by Denver area taxpayers through a mill levy.

Ms. Kreck was not inside the hall where McCain was holding his Town Hall event when security approached her.   She was standing quietly in the public plaza between the Bonfils Theatre Complex and the parking garage.

ProgressNowAction is taking donations for Kreck's defense.  Donations can be given by clicking the following link:

http://progressnowaction.org/FundtoDefendCarolKreck

###


Reader Comments
  
WTF
By Johnny D Jul 8th 2008 at 4:55 pm MDT
I first heard about this issue today on 760AM. Jay Marvin the host of the show interviewed Carol and I could not believe what I was hearing. This is amazing at how petty the staff of the McCain party are. Grow up!
  
Get Real
By Joey Jul 8th 2008 at 6:50 pm MDT
She was asked to leave or put down the sign, very politely by the police officer and she refused. She could of held the sign on the public side walk, but no, she had to waive it in front of all the people there to see Senator McCain. They should of put her in jail. She will know better next time. Too bad the little wimps who handed her the sign didn't have the balls to hold the sign themselves. Real tough guys getting an old lady to do their dirty work.
Re: Get Real
By TinaGirl Jul 11th 2008 at 8:16 pm MDT
Are you kidding me? First off, Why should the McCain campaign find a comparison to him offensive? Does this mean at any event billed as open to the public, any person could be removed for any reason?

Are you really such a droid that you don't get how terribly un-American this is?
Re: Get Real
By Chrys Jul 11th 2008 at 8:18 pm MDT
Joey,
It doesn´t matter where she was holding the sign. There were other people who held pro McCain signs and they were not asked to leave to the side walk. If I may ask you, how is McCain=Bush offensive?
Its still people like you who praise Bush and why would you then turn and support such act of Cowardice. You Republicans have turn the World to be an uncomfortable place to be in and if you are not checked, you may one day become the BAATH Party of Saddam Hussein whom you spent so much in fortune and life to remove in Iraq.
Its just a shame die hard supporters of the Republican party like you Joey are the people who would live to one day, accuse your own children to have destroyed the once beacon of hope, of the free world. You talk about Justice and Freedom in the world and the Republican Party has become the worst Anti-Freedom Party of the world.
You arrest Journalists who interview your so called enemies and call them Terrorist, you can no longer stand for decent, anybody who says anything about the Government and the Republican Party which you do not like, you call them names.
My dear Joey, its just a shame.
Its just a shame.
  
Private property
By Chris Jul 8th 2008 at 8:56 pm MDT
Two words, Private Property. You have no freedom of speech rights on private property. You do have freedom of speech on public property. She was asked to go to the sidewalk and refused. Too bad.
Re: Private property
By Chrys Jul 11th 2008 at 8:07 pm MDT
When I read thinks like this written by Americans, I as a European who lives in Europe and have never been to the US and would may be never try, just feel Americans are RETARDED. If you think, Saddam Hussein was a dictator and you killed Millions of people in Iraq to remove him, how different was he when compared to the actions of the McCain Campaign. McCain=Bush as a sign is in no way offensive and if you Republicans feel it is offensive, then there is something you are hiding from the American people.
Its a shame for somebody who wants to still kill more Iraqis and American soldiers, to be such a dictator and Republicans like you call people who make signs "Wimps"?.
Shame on you.
Re: Private property
By jackdempsey Jul 14th 2008 at 1:52 pm MDT
Not private property moron. Try to read the article next time
  
Four Words
By Fuodd Jul 8th 2008 at 9:55 pm MDT
Read the damn article.
"The McCain event was billed as open to the public."
"The Denver Performing Arts Complex is ... owned and operated by the City and County of Denver ..."
That sounds like the definition of public.
  
Keep going, Carol
By Willow, from Iowa Jul 12th 2008 at 4:10 pm MDT
This was a public venue, on public property, and she was not allowed to stand there quietly with her sign. Meanwhile Pro McCain buttons and signs were there also. I hope someone can make a big deal out of this one. I think that McCain's staff is getting tired of hecklers, and thought to prevent another heckling in the building. But she was standing there quietly.
  
TRY READING
By hughman Jul 12th 2008 at 5:19 pm MDT
yeah, i'm amazed that the people claiming she should have moved to public property can't read.(ok, i'm not too amazed at their ignorance) it's obviously stated here and elsewhere that she wasn't ON private property. McCain = Bush indeed.
  


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