You see? Ignore stories like that of the "Truth Squad", nothing happens. Expose them, express your outrage, PRESSURE elected officials to act, and you get a response much like this:
Gov. Matt Blunt Statement on Obama Campaign’s Abusive Use of Missouri Law Enforcement
JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Matt Blunt today issued the following statement on news reports that have exposed plans by U.S. Senator Barack Obama to use Missouri law enforcement to threaten and intimidate his critics.
“St. Louis County Circuit Attorney Bob McCulloch, St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer, and Obama and the leader of his Missouri campaign Senator Claire McCaskill have attached the stench of police state tactics to the Obama-Biden campaign.
“What Senator Obama and his helpers are doing is scandalous beyond words, the party that claims to be the party of Thomas Jefferson is abusing the justice system and offices of public trust to silence political criticism with threats of prosecution and criminal punishment.
“This abuse of the law for intimidation insults the most sacred principles and ideals of Jefferson. I can think of nothing more offensive to Jefferson’s thinking than using the power of the state to deprive Americans of their civil rights. The only conceivable purpose of Messrs. McCulloch, Obama and the others is to frighten people away from expressing themselves, to chill free and open debate, to suppress support and donations to conservative organizations targeted by this anti-civil rights, to strangle criticism of Mr. Obama, to suppress ads about his support of higher taxes, and to choke out criticism on television, radio, the Internet, blogs, e-mail and daily conversation about the election.
“Barack Obama needs to grow up. Leftist blogs and others in the press constantly say false things about me and my family. Usually, we ignore false and scurrilous accusations because the purveyors have no credibility. When necessary, we refute them. Enlisting Missouri law enforcement to intimidate people and kill free debate is reminiscent of the Sedition Acts - not a free society.”
(Hat Tip: Gateway Pundit)
Let's hope the Governor also moves to punish Law Enforcement and any government official who participated in this scandal, if for no other reason, to prevent such an abuse of power from ever happening again.
[Update]
Video added because some Obama supporters have stuck their fingers in their ears and are going, "LA, LA, LA, LA, LA, it isn't happening! LA, LA, LA, LA, This is a McCain attack! LA, LA, LA, LA, These are all lies - somebody prosecute them! LA, LA, LA, LA...!"
This is what the Missouri Governor is responding to:
Decide for yourself. Is this just a few citizens joining the Obama campaign, or is this an abuse of authority in attempting to intimidate Obama opponents?
As Gov. Matt Blunt stated: Obama and his cry-baby supporters need to grown up.
[Update 2]
Obama for Omerica sends this gem:
[Update 3]
My take on the "Truth Squad":
Comments:
#2 DMartyr 28-Sep-2008
Except for the FACT that the people involved went on the television news and stated such...
A Sheriff and a state Prosecutor implied it would be within the realm of their duties. That is an abuse of authority.
Like it or not, your boy Obama stepped in it deep with this. You libs don't want a police state? Well your candidate is more than happy to give you one, and you idiots are too dumb to see it coming.
A Sheriff and a state Prosecutor implied it would be within the realm of their duties. That is an abuse of authority.
Like it or not, your boy Obama stepped in it deep with this. You libs don't want a police state? Well your candidate is more than happy to give you one, and you idiots are too dumb to see it coming.
#3 ann miller 28-Sep-2008
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Gov. Matt Blunt and Republicans are accusing Barack Obama’s campaign of assembling a “truth squad” with law enforcement officials to intimidate Obama critics from speaking out against the Democratic presidential candidate.
Using his taxpayer-funded press office to level a political attack, Blunt issued a statement Saturday to denounce the unproven allegations.
On Wednesday, Obama’s Missouri campaign announced U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill would lead a group of Democratic lawmakers, prosecutors and one sheriff “who will be proactive in letting voters in the Show-Me State know the truth in the face of the distortions by the McCain campaign,” according to a news release.The group includes prosecutors from St. Louis, Dunklin, Lafayette, Cass, Clay, Ripley, Audrain and Jackson counties volunteering to be surrogates for Obama on their own time.
The Missouri Truth Squad will “respond quickly, forcefully, and aggressively when John McCain or his allies launch inaccurate claims or character attacks about Barack Obama, or when they distort Barack Obama’s record or plans.”
In a conference call Saturday with reporters from battleground states, Obama national campaign manager David Plouffe said those who spread lies and mistruths about the Illinois senator have to be “held accountable,” but did not elaborate how.
Despite having law enforcement officials on the truth squad, none of them have publicly said they will invoke their official powers to enforce facts about Obama’s record.
Frank Donatelli, deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee, held a conference call with reporters Saturday morning while touring the state’s offices for GOP presidential candidate John McCain.
In a telephone interview with the News-Leader, Donatelli admitted the Democratic prosecutors “haven’t specifically said” they would use their prosecutorial powers on Obama’s behalf.
Donatelli said prosecutors don’t normally join campaign truth squads because their mere presence as a campaign attack dog “has a chilling affect on people’s rights of free speech.”
But a review of McCain’s own truth squads shows he has a district attorney from New Mexico and the South Carolina attorney general ready to respond to misleading ads from Obama and Democrats in their respective states.
And, law officers do have the right to enforce libel/slander and threats
Using his taxpayer-funded press office to level a political attack, Blunt issued a statement Saturday to denounce the unproven allegations.
On Wednesday, Obama’s Missouri campaign announced U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill would lead a group of Democratic lawmakers, prosecutors and one sheriff “who will be proactive in letting voters in the Show-Me State know the truth in the face of the distortions by the McCain campaign,” according to a news release.The group includes prosecutors from St. Louis, Dunklin, Lafayette, Cass, Clay, Ripley, Audrain and Jackson counties volunteering to be surrogates for Obama on their own time.
The Missouri Truth Squad will “respond quickly, forcefully, and aggressively when John McCain or his allies launch inaccurate claims or character attacks about Barack Obama, or when they distort Barack Obama’s record or plans.”
In a conference call Saturday with reporters from battleground states, Obama national campaign manager David Plouffe said those who spread lies and mistruths about the Illinois senator have to be “held accountable,” but did not elaborate how.
Despite having law enforcement officials on the truth squad, none of them have publicly said they will invoke their official powers to enforce facts about Obama’s record.
Frank Donatelli, deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee, held a conference call with reporters Saturday morning while touring the state’s offices for GOP presidential candidate John McCain.
In a telephone interview with the News-Leader, Donatelli admitted the Democratic prosecutors “haven’t specifically said” they would use their prosecutorial powers on Obama’s behalf.
Donatelli said prosecutors don’t normally join campaign truth squads because their mere presence as a campaign attack dog “has a chilling affect on people’s rights of free speech.”
But a review of McCain’s own truth squads shows he has a district attorney from New Mexico and the South Carolina attorney general ready to respond to misleading ads from Obama and Democrats in their respective states.
And, law officers do have the right to enforce libel/slander and threats
#4 Obama for Omerica 28-Sep-2008
New Obama Campaign Poster Released for Missouri
Campaign is testing it out there and will be going national with it in all 57 states if they can get away with it.
Here is the Link:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n317/zuule/BarryObummer/WelcomeToMissouri.jpg
Campaign is testing it out there and will be going national with it in all 57 states if they can get away with it.
Here is the Link:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n317/zuule/BarryObummer/WelcomeToMissouri.jpg
#5 DMartyr 29-Sep-2008
Lol, OfO! Very fitting. Hope you don't mind if I use it.
#6 hd2000flht 29-Sep-2008
Um...am I wrong in believing that libel is still against the law? And that intentional libelous statements can be and should be rebutted (and civil cases filed in a court of law)? Obviously, some people just can't stand (or stand by) the truth. Ride on, truth squad!
#7 Obama for Omerica 29-Sep-2008
Not at all.
Spread it around far and wide before we lose our first amendment rights when they rig the november 4th election thanks to Acorn and install Emperor Obama...btw have you seen the lovely new coins already minted in his honor? as President 2008?
Spread it around far and wide before we lose our first amendment rights when they rig the november 4th election thanks to Acorn and install Emperor Obama...btw have you seen the lovely new coins already minted in his honor? as President 2008?
#8 DMartyr 29-Sep-2008
A link for the coins, please?
(And check out my new Obama Truth Squad Pic!)
(And check out my new Obama Truth Squad Pic!)
#9 john 04-Oct-2008
Get a life people. Do your homework, if Obama gets elected HELLO SOCIALISM...
#10 Moonbattery 08-Oct-2008
The mentality that has Obamunists scrawling obscenities all over McCain yard signs unfortunately is not limited to the Clearasil set. Claire McCaskill is, appallingly, a Senator from Missouri, where she has been involved in fascistic "Obama Truth Squads" that have...
#11 Obama for Omerica 08-Oct-2008
http://rightwingnews.com/mt331/2008/09/obama_coins_have_been_issued.php
Here is the story and pics of the Emperor Obama Coins tht are being distributed as we speak to members of the Democratic party in celebration of Obama's presidential victory...a bit early
Here is the story and pics of the Emperor Obama Coins tht are being distributed as we speak to members of the Democratic party in celebration of Obama's presidential victory...a bit early
It appears to be a smear by Republican Matt Blunt. He is not running for reelection because he is very unpopular and has been involved in scandals, such as destroying emails.
There is a statement of on Blunt's website, but it provides no evidence to support the smear. Blunt said he has "exposed plans." He does not site any incident of actual treats to anyone.
Blunt accused several people that are far too smart to do anything that stupid, such as Senator Claire McCaskill. She was Missouri's State Auditor and a prosecuting attorney.
On Their Own Time - NOT Illegal
"On Wednesday, Obama’s Missouri campaign announced U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill would lead a group of Democratic lawmakers, prosecutors and one sheriff “who will be proactive in letting voters in the Show-Me State know the truth in the face of the distortions by the McCain campaign,” according to a news release.
The group includes prosecutors from St. Louis, Dunklin, Lafayette, Cass, Clay, Ripley, Audrain and Jackson counties volunteering to be surrogates for Obama on their own time."
Another reason for Blunts attacks. Obama has been gradually winning support in Missouri
MISSOURI: A new Research 2000 poll has Obama cutting McCain's lead in the Show Me State to one point, 46%-45% for a poll of "likely" voters. McCain has always done better with "likely" voters as opposed to "registered voters. Likely voters are usually considerably older than registered voters.
McCain was about 8-9 points ahead. Then 5 points, now Obama is a threat.