"Denver Three" Getting More National Press; What's Next?

The so-called "Denver Three" continue to get national press in their efforts to find out who kicked them out of a President Bush "town hall" event in Colorado in March. They got the big one this morning, getting a big story in The New York Times.

The three were also on CBS "Face the Nation" yesterday while the White House continues to act in denial mode, which is really all they can do at this point:

"It's clear that these three protesters are trying to advance their own political agenda," Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary, said in an interview Friday. Asked who the mystery man was, Mr. McClellan did not respond and then said he had no interest in going over yet again the events in Denver on March 21.

Of course they are trying to advance their own political agenda, just as President Bush was trying to do in the "town hall" meeting. This has become a staredown at this point, with the "Denver Three" trying to get more press and the White House trying to make it go away. The "Denver Three" have lasted much longer than we would have expected, so it will be fun to watch who blinks first and finally gives in.

Comments

[Phoenix Rising]

I hope MoveOn.org has the cash to employ these three, 'cause it'll be a cold day in Hell before the Bush administration gives in. Even if they get their FOIA request approved in the court system, Bush will just ignore the courts - he's done it before.

The Denver Three are employed and bankrolled by Moveon.org.

Period.

[Alex]

The Denver Three are employed and bankrolled by Moveon.org.

Period.

Nope, you have that exactly backwards. None of us have ever been employed by MoveOn or any other political entity.

I myself am a computer tech, and I work at a fortune 500.

Thanks for the FUD anyway.

[Privatize IT!]

Alex,

Who paid for your trip out to DC and do you know the total cost. I have to congratulate you on keeping this story going however I believe that you are now a pawn in the bigger game.

[Denver Three Make Me Sick]

This is such a media stunt. You guys are really ruining your credibility by exploiting this situation. You know good and well you will never get anything from the White House - but that's not the point is it? You are just out for a smear campaign.

Hey - for everyone's info - the White House isn't subject to FOIA. Surely their lawyer knows that - but again, that's not the point is it?

Get a LIFE.

Alex: You changed the name of your group in March 2005 from DenverMoveOn.org to the name you now go by because you knew people would make the connection.

YOU are a liar.

The Denver Three got a free plane ride and accommedations in Washington DC courtesty of a political machine bankrolled by George Soros and MoveOn.Org.

YOU are a liar, Alex.

[Jason]

Who cares who paid for the trip. Isn't the issue that citizens were thrown out of a taxpayer funded event without actually committing any crime? I could see doing something if these three actually DID something to warrant removal. The WH looks bad on this one, as usual.

[Alva Adams]

Stop the name calling. You can make your point, but act like an adult and be respectful.

[expose the BS]

"The Denver Three got a free plane ride and accommedations in Washington DC courtesty of a political machine bankrolled by George Soros and MoveOn.Org."

Who cares? The Denver 3 are making a political point and MoveOn.org is a political organization. The White House, as well, is a political organization using its resources to defend a position. Bottom line is that what happened to the Denver 3 was WRONG, no matter what their ideology, or their backers. Fight on guys. To the D3's detractors, if you had your rights trampled on, whould you just shrug and get over it? I hope not.

[Jake]

ZZZZZZ, ZZZZZZZ, ZZZZZZZ. Somebody wake me up when this is over. ZZZZZZ.

[Phoenix Rising]

I'm not against someone calling someone a liar if it's really true, Alva.

But IIRC (Alex, help me here...), it wasn't MoveOn that paid for the trip, it was a different group. And maybe someone believes that Alex and two friends constituted Denver MoveOn by themselves, but I doubt it, and I doubt the rename had anything to do with this conspiracy plan that some here say they had to disrupt the event.

Jason's got it right: they were thrown out of a taxpayer event without causing any trouble. If a "No more blood for oil" bumpersticker is all it takes to get kicked out, sign me up for a star or a triangle or something, 'cause the brownshirts will want to know who I am.

[Alex]

Sorry guys, I kind of knew this would devolve into name calling if I posted, but I just wanted to clarify that point.

Yes, another group funded the trip to DC; that has been widely reported in the media. It was a group called Americans United to Protect Social Security, and we're quite glad they did.

We aren't members of Americans United, and we received no compensation from them. I took time off from my job to go.

The bi-partisan support that this has received just goes to show that this is not a Democrat / Republican issue; this is a First Amendment issue. If the tables were turned, my friends on the right would deserve answers too.

Now I'll step back out of the ring -

[Phoenix Rising]

It's good to actually see one of you on, Alex. What's the status of the whole thing right now? Where are the FOIAs?

[Privatize IT!]

Alex,

You got yourself in this ring so you should stay and articulate your warped positions. Americans United to Protect Social Security is an umbrella group for unions and other left organizations committed to spending millions against the President’s plan. What do you think about unions like AFL-CIO investing millions in the stock market for their members but trying to deprive everyone else from doing the same? Do you still talk about social security or just the 1st Amendment?

[Alan]

No facts matter with the reflexive smear being directed against the Denver Three. The people attacking them are interested only in covering for "their" administration, not the implications for their own liberty this story carries with it. You idiots go right on cheering the demise of open, accessible government.

I'm glad as hell they aren't letting this die, just like I'm glad as hell I didn't get thrown out of the event (no bumper stickers on my Kia) with them. What they're going through would have crossed by BS limit weeks ago.

[Alex]

What's the status of the whole thing right now? Where are the FOIAs?

Thanks for asking. Sorry I'm just getting back to you now, but I've been away from a computer.

Right now, we're trying to get the greater story of the other cases told. There is a pattern of abuse here, and not everyone has been as vocal as we have. The examples in other states are just as wrong, especially the blacklist from Fargo.

Our Freedom Of Information Act requests, along with our Colorado Open Records Act requests, have all been either denied or ignored. I'm not a lawyer, but I understand that there are appeals in place that have good legal merit that will hopefully yield fruit from the Executive Branch and the Secret Service.

Journalists have also told us that their FOIA and CORA requests are being denied as well, and I understand that they are contesting those denials too.

That said, we would really like to resolve this without resorting to the legal process. It would be great if the Republicans who have agreed that we deserve answers would join with the Democrats who already have, and call on the White House to disclose the facts involved.

And FYI, I don’t have any bumper stickers on my car :)

I’m off to cook dinner, so have a good night. If anyone has any unanswered questions, please refer to the website, we have a lot of good resources there.

-Alex

[Drew]

Denver Progressives changed their name from MoveOnDenver because MoveOn.org got in touch with us several months after the election and asked us to change the name. They wanted to continue their grassroots campaign from the national level and avoid being confused with a local group. Because we were interested in keeping a collaborative relationship with them, we changed the name. Those are the facts. Your theory that the name was changed to hide a connection is mistaken.

[Curious Stranger]

Privatize IT!,

The AFL-CIO isn't investing their members payroll taxes in the stock market and nothing is stopping you from investing your own retirement savings there. What ever happened to individual responsibility?

[jon]

Wait, do I understand this right? An interest group paid for travel for the Denver Three? I think we better have an ethics committee investigation, pronto. This goes clear to the top!

[Phoenix Rising]

Yep - clear to the top of a private political organization sponsoring private but political people. Shocking, isn't it? Not at all the same as lobbyists paying for lavish trips by public officials, which is what you're insinuating...

Speaking of which, the Ohio scandals keep on growing; there are no fewer than three investigations ongoing at this point, involving both Federal and State organizations. Gov. Taft (R-OH) admitted yesterday that he didn't disclose a number of expensive golf trips with Mr. Noe, who is at the center of the scandal, and others. Illegal political contributions are running into the millions, with $5 million being spent by money managers alone. To his credit, the head of the Ohio Republican Party is cutting his losses and stating that some party members are probably headed to jail.

[jon]

Look Birdy Boy, you missed the analogy. I am questioning their bias. Not comparing them to members of Congress.

This whole Delay thing is about influence peddling and who owes who. All I am saying is that I question the "free speech" motives of the Denver Three after they accepted a trip from an anit-Bush group. Just as I am sure that you question Delay's voting record on issues that relate to people who's dime he has travelled on.

Have to be fair. . .

[Wowser]

please stop bringing Tom DeLay into this debate...that is so stupid and ineffective...

the denver three need to....move on....

the white house did not have them removed, the secret service did not remove them...some jackass asked them to leave and they wimped out and left...simple as that.

if democrats want to start winning elections, they need to ignore and isolate freaks like the denver three and start talking about their meaningful agenda for america's future.

americans don't vote based on whiny punks or angry rhetoric...

yeah, alex...get over it...you obviously have talent at promotion and organization...i can't imagine how effective you would be at promoting something other than opposition...

[Phoenix Rising]

They did not "wimp out", they were escorted, physically (i.e. the "Secret Service" guy used physical force) out the door.

The Denver Three at this point have made their motives clear; accepting a trip paid by a political group at this stage doesn't change anything. That's like saying that RFK Jr.'s motives were compromised by accepting a paid speaking engagement from BTC.

Wowser, this topic is about a news story, not a general rehashing of the Democratic vs. Republican future. If you're uncomfortable with your government kicking someone out of a public event, turn your eyes the other way while we discuss it.

[bayonet]

The secret service says that they did not remove the Denver Three. So unless the mystery man worked for a senator or the president or something, it wasn't the government who kicked the Denver Three out of the event.