Progress Now Action

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

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