Colorado Activists Set Up Defense Fund for Librarian Cited at McCain Event

Rachel Maddow reports on Denver free speech incident

Beware the wrath of foes of civil liberties if you intend to use your free speech rights anywhere near the McCain campaign events in Albuquerque next week. McCain will be here for two days -- at a big ticket fundraiser on July 14th at the home of car dealer Ken Zangara, and at a town hall meeting at the Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town the next day. (Doors open at 8:45 AM but all seats have been filled.)

McCain held what was called a "public" town hall meeting yesterday in Denver, but it turned out to be none too public as a peaceful and polite woman holding a sign outside the event was cited and threatened with arrest for "trespassing." ProgressNowAction, a network of Colorado grassroots activists, fills in the details with an email today, and asks for donations for a defense fund they've set up for Carol and others who may get caught exercising their rights:

This is what we're up against. 

Yesterday, Sen. John McCain's Secret Service detail had a 60 year-old librarian removed from a public plaza.  The librarian, Carol Kreck, was merely carrying a sign that said: McCain = Bush.

As our state moves to the national spotlight later this summer, you can bet there will be more occurrences like this. And you can bet we'll be there to document and publicize it [see video above].

... After you've seen it for yourself, I hope you'll pitch in and help us help Coloradans like Carol Kreck. Please make a donation today at the following link.

Here's the thing: while other people in line were sporting pro-McCain messages only the 60 year-old librarian was cited - for trespassing and ordered to appear in court July 23rd.  That's just wrong. And illegal. 

We believe her First Amendment Rights were violated and we're going to help her fight back.  We can't allow this instance to set the precedent for how Colorado treats its citizens who choose to make good on their freedom of speech during a critical election year.

Like New Mexico, Colorado is a battleground state this election cycle and has a good chance of turning Blue. Both presidential candidates are sure to visit often and then, of course, there's the Democratic Convention in Denver on August 25-28. Time to stake a claim for freedom of speech and help Colorado progressives prepare for the possibility of many more incidents like this one. Click to make a donation to our compadres to the North. I just did. Who knows? Since I'll be covering the Dem Convention as New Mexico's rep on the DNC's State Blogger Corps, it could be me that needs some help later this summer.

Lawsuit Already Filed on First Amendment Rights
By the way, the ACLU and several advocacy groups have filed suit against the U.S. Secret Service and the city and county of Denver that says protestors and demonstrators may have their First Amendment rights violated by security restrictions for the Convention. One point of contention is a chicken-wire or chain-link fence that will be placed around the so-called "public demonstration zone" outside the Pepsi Center, which is the main Convention venue. Stay tuned.

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