From the Rocky Mountain News


Arrest over Cheney barb triggers lawsuit

By Charlie Brennan, Rocky Mountain News
October 3, 2006

A Denver-area man filed a lawsuit today against a member of the Secret Service for causing him to be arrested after he approached Vice President Dick Cheney in Beaver Creek this summer and criticized him for his policies concerning Iraq.

Attorney David Lane said that on June 16, Steve Howards was walking his 7-year-old son to a piano practice, when he saw Cheney surrounded by a group of people in an outdoor mall area, shaking hands and posing for pictures with several people.
According to the lawsuit filed at U.S. District Court in Denver, Howards and his son walked to about two-to-three feet from where Cheney was standing, and said to the vice president, "I think your policies in Iraq are reprehensible," or words to that effect, then walked on.

Ten minutes later, according to Howards' lawsuit, he and his son were walking back through the same area, when they were approached by Secret Service agent Virgil D. "Gus" Reichle Jr., who asked Howards if he had "assaulted" the vice president. Howards denied doing so, but was nonetheless placed in handcuffs and taken to the Eagle County Jail.

The lawsuit states that the Secret Service agent instructed that Howards should be issued a summons for harassment, but that on July 6 the Eagle County District Attorney's Office dismissed all charges against Howards.

The lawsuit filed today alleges that Howards was arrested in retaliation for having exercised his First Amendment right of free speech, and that his arrest violated his Fourth Amendment protection against unlawful seizure.

Gotta be more to the story than that.

Gotta be more to the story than that.

Yeah. The guy probably wanted to tell Cheney he was a cowardly, profiteering traitor, or something like that, but with his son along he kept it civil. BUt Cheney, being the power freak he is, would never stand for anyone voicing an opinion to his face in a public place that cast him in a negative light.

Of course, I could be wrong. /looks over shoulder for Secret Sevice folks.

Oh dear he should watch out he might be labelled as an enemy combatant.

Oh dear he should watch out he might be labelled as an enemy combatant.

So he shouldn't be labeled as an enemy combatant? He disrespected our leaders by disagreeing with them...anyone who has a differing viewpoint is on the side of AlQaeda...I know this because Bush and Cheney said it....it must be true.

So he shouldn't be labeled as an enemy combatant? He disrespected our leaders by disagreeing with them...anyone who has a differing viewpoint is on the side of AlQaeda...I know this because Bush and Cheney said it....it must be true.

Rover you're walking a thin line of enemy "combatantness"! :p

State Enemy Combantant police, Mr Rover please report the detention facility in Hoboken NJ for processing immediately, resistance is Futile.

Rev

I wonder if he had shot the VP how meny people on here would be "Tutt tutting" the lack of security, and how many would be out dancing in the streets....

I wonder if he had shot the VP how meny people on here would be "Tutt tutting" the lack of security, and how many would be out dancing in the streets....

no comment...but I could learn to dance.

Mr Rover,

You have been asked to report to the detention facility in Hoboken if you do not comply immediately the consiquences will be sever and may include deportation to French Canada.

Rev

I wonder if he had shot the VP how meny people on here would be "Tutt tutting" the lack of security, and how many would be out dancing in the streets....

...and this has exactly what to do with anything? Surely you could have constructed at least a partial thought involving free speech, or maybe found a link to toss in.....raising the idea of gun fire is about as good as we can expect from you anymore, I guess.

...and this has exactly what to do with anything? Surely you could have constructed at least a partial thought involving free speech, or maybe found a link to toss in.....raising the idea of gun fire is about as good as we can expect from you anymore, I guess.

It has to do with why the man was detained. If you think he was detained because of what he said, rather than his actions of approaching the VP in a threatening manner, you really are way off base.

How many other shooters just quietly go up to their target, and just start plugging away?

As I understand it, 1 of the things the Secret Service looks for is the guy that rants and raves. He's the one most likely to have a firearm, and the one most likely to start using it.

And the Secret Service isn't a group that acts as the personal thugs of the President and Vice President. They are charged with the safety of the people in those positions and their families.

The Vice President and President recieve the protection of the Secret Service for up to 10 years after they leave office.

You might want to brush up on the history of the Secret Service.

http://www.secretservice.gov/history.shtml

Although for many years they fell under the Department of the Treasury, they now fall under the Department of Homeland Security. While I'm sure this was designed as a logical manuver to have the Service act as part of the protection of the country (AKA keeping the President and Vice President safe is really in the best interest of the country), I'm sure that there's some nefarious reason you'll find that Bush and Co. did this....