Site search
sponsored by
Home
News
DENVER — A federal judge refused Monday to toss out a lawsuit filed by two people removed from a President Bush event, saying they have the right to learn more about those who singled them out for a “No blood for oil” bumper sticker on a car they were in.
Two people, Michael Casper, a building manager in the federal General Services Administration in Denver, and volunteer Jay Bob Klinkerman claimed qualified immunity in asking the lawsuit be dismissed. The legal protection is usually reserved for government officials acting in their capacity.
In his order, U.S. District Judge Wiley Y. Daniel said it was unclear whether either man was entitled to qualified immunity and granted plaintiffs Leslie Weise and Alex Young the right to find out.
Among the issues were whether the two were acting as federal officials or were private parties acting at the direction of federal officials, and were closely supervised.
“It’s time for accountability, and finally, it’s here,” Young said.
Attorneys for Klinkerman and Casper did not immediately return an e-mail sent after business hours.
Weise and Young were removed from the March 21, 2005, event at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum at the former Lowry Air Force Base after they arrived in a car with the bumper sticker and wearing T-shirts saying “Stop the lies” under other clothes.
Young and Weise had tickets to the publicly-funded event. The lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union says they were escorted out before the president’s appearance by Casper, a man they believed to be a Secret Service agent because he wore a radio earpiece, a dark suit and a lapel pin that gave the appearance of authority.
An investigation by the Secret Service into whether someone impersonated one of its agents determined the man was a staff member with the host committee.
Casper has denied forcing Weise and Young to leave.
Bush was in Denver touting his Social Security reform plan. Young said he planned to ask the president a question, but did not plan to disrupt the event.
The suit also names Klinkerman, head of the Colorado Federation of Young Republicans, and five other unnamed defendants for allegedly violating Weise’s and Young’s constitutional rights to freedom of speech and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure.
A third person who also was ejected with Weise and Young, Karen Bauer, did not join the lawsuit for personal reasons.
Two people, Michael Casper, a building manager in the federal General Services Administration in Denver, and volunteer Jay Bob Klinkerman claimed qualified immunity in asking the lawsuit be dismissed. The legal protection is usually reserved for government officials acting in their capacity.
In his order, U.S. District Judge Wiley Y. Daniel said it was unclear whether either man was entitled to qualified immunity and granted plaintiffs Leslie Weise and Alex Young the right to find out.
Among the issues were whether the two were acting as federal officials or were private parties acting at the direction of federal officials, and were closely supervised.
“It’s time for accountability, and finally, it’s here,” Young said.
Attorneys for Klinkerman and Casper did not immediately return an e-mail sent after business hours.
Weise and Young were removed from the March 21, 2005, event at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum at the former Lowry Air Force Base after they arrived in a car with the bumper sticker and wearing T-shirts saying “Stop the lies” under other clothes.
Young and Weise had tickets to the publicly-funded event. The lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union says they were escorted out before the president’s appearance by Casper, a man they believed to be a Secret Service agent because he wore a radio earpiece, a dark suit and a lapel pin that gave the appearance of authority.
An investigation by the Secret Service into whether someone impersonated one of its agents determined the man was a staff member with the host committee.
Casper has denied forcing Weise and Young to leave.
Bush was in Denver touting his Social Security reform plan. Young said he planned to ask the president a question, but did not plan to disrupt the event.
The suit also names Klinkerman, head of the Colorado Federation of Young Republicans, and five other unnamed defendants for allegedly violating Weise’s and Young’s constitutional rights to freedom of speech and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure.
A third person who also was ejected with Weise and Young, Karen Bauer, did not join the lawsuit for personal reasons.
