Doo doo dump ruled protected political speech

[Soldier4Christ]

Doo doo dump ruled protected political speech
Jury says pile on doorstep was expression of opinion

A jury in northeastern Colorado has ruled that a pile of dog doo left in the entrance of the office of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo., was protected political speech, acquitting a critic of the congresswoman who admitted dumping the load.

"In Colorado the courts and jury have now made dog crap a right of freedom of speech. I can't wait to be able to use this now," said an anonymous commenter on the Free Republic website.

According to a report in the Greeley Tribune, a Weld County jury found Kathy Ensz, a 64-year-old retired university professor, innocent of charges for depositing, the, well, deposit.

"Democrats are ALWAYS dumping figurative doodoo on Republicans. So, now a judge says the literal expression is legal? Hmmmmm… wonder if I could talk the local septic truck operator into dumping the contents on Pelosi's office doorstep," another participant in the comment forum said. "In the name of political free speech, of course…"

County prosecutor Ken Buck said it was a legitimate case.

"It's easy for someone who's not in office to say what the tolerance is for an elected official," he said. But he said his office would have pursued the case even if the victim wasn't a member of Congress.

"I think it would be worth prosecuting whether it's a member of the public or an elected official," he told the newspaper. "It's a criminally obnoxious thing to do."

Musgrave's chief of staff, Guy Short, said the congressional staff did not follow the case after it was reported. But he said perhaps Ensz could communicate in a "more dignified manner."

"In the future, if she has a comment for the congresswoman, she can write us a letter, and we'll treat her with the respect that she didn't treat the congresswoman with," he said.

The incident happened during Musgrave's re-election campaign in 2006. Ensz, vice chairwoman of the Colorado Senate District 13 Democratic Central Committee, admitted she left the envelope filled with her, ahem, "message" on May 31, 2006. It "wasn't in the office doors, it was in the foyer," she said.

Ensz admitted the trial concerned her. "When you get prosecuted like this, when the powers that be come after you for something like this, it's very intimidating," she said.

But Buck said the potential of threats cannot be taken lightly these days.

"Public officials should be protected from this type of conduct," he said, noting Musgrave has received death threats in the past.

Ensz told jurors she just wanted to make a point, but was sorry and would not do it again.

"It was only a political message," she said.

Her lawyer also claimed Ensz's civil rights were violated. "Her only intention of going over there was to make a political statement that Marilyn Musgrave's politics stink," lawyer Shannon Lyons said.

One chat forum participant had an entirely different view:

"Greeley is BACK! This is going to be all over the nation for the next couple days."

Musgrave won her third term in Congress representing Colorado's 4th District over Democrat candidate Angie Paccine in 2006. Musgrave was elected first in 2002, after spending several years representing Colorado voters in the Colorado House and Senate. She's on the House Committees on Agriculture and Small Business, as well as the Republican Study Committee.

[Soldier4Christ]

 

[Shammu]

Brother with this, you need to swab the p o o p deck..........

[nChrist]

      ROFL! I have an idea that it might take some time for me to get over this one.

For those of you who might be wondering, I think that someone put the compressed version of  p o o p in the censored word index to test it. It might have even been me - I just can't remember.

Compressed into the original form, it comes out as poop.   

[Shammu]

     ROFL! I have an idea that it might take some time for me to get over this one.

If thats the case, it's going to get deep in this thread. I hope you have your boots on brother.............

For those of you who might be wondering, I think that someone put the compressed version of  p o o p in the censored word index to test it. It might have even been me - I just can't remember.

 

[Soldier4Christ]

If thats the case, it's going to get deep in this thread. I hope you have your boots on brother.............

 

I've got mine at the ready but they might not be tall enough.

 

[Shammu]

I've got mine at the ready but they might not be tall enough.

 

Course you knew this would happen, just by the title of this thread.........

[Soldier4Christ]

Yep.   

[Shammu]

Time for you to swab the p o o p deck brother.  (squid) 

[nChrist]

   I'm wearing hip-waders, but that might not be enough.

[Shammu]

  I'm wearing hip-waders, but that might not be enough.

[Soldier4Christ]

Time for you to swab the p o o p deck brother.  (squid) 

I think I'll leave that for the youngsters.   

[Faithin1]

  I'm wearing hip-waders, but that might not be enough.

I love it!  Tooooo funny.  Brothers, thanks for the laughs!! 

[Shammu]

I think I'll leave that for the youngsters.   

Okay all you youngsters out there reading this, start swabbing the deck..........

[Soldier4Christ]

Okay all you youngsters out there reading this, start swabbing the deck..........

Moved out of the classification of youngster I see.