Gov. Blunt Statement on Obama Campaign’s Abusive Use of Missouri Law Enforcement

Jessica Robinson,
governor.mo.gov
Sunday, Sept 28, 2008

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.”

Now you're in my territory, War!!!

Governor Blunt has been a bad experience for Missouri. The things that I could tell you about him would make you furious. That man is a jerk!!!

I would think that if something was going on, Glenn Boyer would be raising a stink about it and try to correct the situation.

What exactly is Obama being accused of?

Yes please...what is this besides an attempt to insinuate something?

Details and facts please

Obama has recruited high profile prosecutors and sheriffs in Missouri who have warned the citizens that they will arrest and prosecute anyone who promotes a message not sanctioned by the Obama campaign.

Leading the “Truth Squad” there words not mine, are St. Louis County Circuit Attorney Bob McCullock and St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce and Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer plus Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) who is taking the lead in this attack on Civil Liberties.

As a side note Claire McCaskill is a strong supporter of the recent economic fraud know as the trillion dollar Paulson bailout.

The “Truth Squads” mission?

“The Barack Obama campaign is asking Missouri law enforcement to target anyone who tells an unapproved truth or runs a misleading unapproved TV ad during the presidential campaign.” Reports John Mills of St. Louis, KMOV-TV News 4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iStZAbf47FA

Guess Sheriff Boyer is apart of this, isn't this the same sheriff that tried to cover up one of his officers threatening some kid? (Off topic, I know, but I was just wondering)

You can go here to see the letter the Obama campaign sends to any television station that runs ads exposing his gun grabbing efforts.

http://www.nraila.org/media/PDFs/ObamaLetterNRAAd.pdf

War, this one is beyond ridiculous.

And again we can see, Lord Obama can do no wrong!

Go watch the news report. Go read the PDF of the threatening legal papers.

Why is it when I post something against one side, it's all good, but when I post against the other I'm disregarded? Hypocritical, IMO.

Either I tell the truth, or I'm a fibber. You can't have it both ways, especially based on party politics.


Since I'm being told this is ridiculous, that I'm insinuating something...prove it,prove me wrong, otherwise I'm telling just that much more truth about the McBama campaign.
By the way, this story started for me, from Reason Magazine, The Libertarian site, who would get sued out of their pants, if they were presenting such a horrible "lie".

Your totally missing the point here...

All hail thee Almighty Lord Obama. You saith and I shall follow.

Lord Obama is untouchable and can do no wrong!

What a joke!

Anyone can make up legally threatening papers.

I know I can write a scary ass kicking letter if I need to.

Were they filed? If so by who?

Is this just more scare tactic horse****?

This is all that I could find in my newspaper: St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

09.27.2008 5:49 pm
McCain-Obama battle over Missouri “Truth Squad”
By Jo Mannies



With the Missouri polls showing a dead heat between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, every campaign move is igniting scrutiny.

That’s the backdrop over a two-day dust-up that is attracting local TV coverage, and has even ignited a Web fight between the Drudge Report and the Daily Kos.

At issue is a new Obama “Truth Squad” formed in the state.

(As an aside, please note that both sides have “Truth Squads” in numerous states, under numerous titles. McCain’s campaign has an Honest and Open Election Committee, whose Missouri members include former Sen. John Danforth and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, and another state McCain group monitoring any Democratic jabs at Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.)

Obama’s Missouri Truth Squad members include St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer and St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch, among others.

The inclusion of such officials has led to Gov. Matt Blunt, among other Republicans, to accuse the Obama camp of planning “to use Missouri law enforcement to threaten and intimidate his critics.”

That tack was repeated in a conference call Saturday, where Republican National Committee deputy chairman Frank Donatelli said that the issue was the inclusion of law-enforcement officials on Obama’s squad. He called for Joyce, McCulloch, et al to step down.

In a statement Saturday (issued from the governor’s office), Blunt went further and contended that the state Obama campaign and its allies, including U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill “have attached the stench of police state tactics…”

His assertion was that the squad might prosecute people deemed to have made inaccurate or inappropriate claims against Obama.

“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,” Blunt said in the statement. “Enlisting Missouri law enforcement to intimidate people and kill free debate is reminiscent of the Sedition Acts - not a free society.”

Obama’s national campaign manager David Plouffe said Saturday that Truth Squads simply monitor attacks and refute them.

Later, state communications director Debbie Mesloh issued a statement that called it “the height of absurdity” for the GOP to contend that the Obama squad planned to go to court or jail critics.

She contended that Blunt, Donatelli, et al are out “to deceive voters about the role of respected Missourians across the state who want to see this election be about the truth, not false attacks like the ones we’ve seen today.

“Barack Obama’s Truth Squad is comprised of members of the community who – on their own time – are dedicated to raising the level of discourse in this campaign…,” she added.

By the way, a quick surf of the Internet found a McCain Truth Squad in New Hampshire, formed last January, that included several public officials with prosecutorial powers, including the state attorney general.

However, state Republicans have sent out a list of dozens of officeholders — who are lawmakers, not law enforcers — who they said make up the bulk of McCain’s Truth Squads around the country.

Well, that neither proves nor disproves my post. It does however lend my post credence, by the naming of names, does it not?

I'll keep my eyes peeled, if I'm wrong and I find it first, I have no qualms with admitting it, I just don't think that I am.

Isn't this the same Obama that made a deal with McCain to block 3rd party candidates from the debates?

If you're gonna stifle one set of peoples free speech, you'd be likely to stifle others, I would think.

OK, I read the letter. It provides third party fact-check evidence that the McCain ads in question are "false and misleading." It asks the station not to run the ads, but does not threaten any action if the station chooses to run them.

War,

All I see is the Obama camp trying to clear up lies. From what I have read on this thread, McCain has the same kind of Truth Squad but under a different name.

What other choice would one have when an ad in false?

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce and St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch are the top attorneys for the city and the county. They are just upholding the law.

Obama’s national campaign manager David Plouffe said Saturday that Truth Squads simply monitor attacks and refute them.

Later, state communications director Debbie Mesloh issued a statement that called it “the height of absurdity” for the GOP to contend that the Obama squad planned to go to court or jail critics.

She contended that Blunt, Donatelli, et al are out “to deceive voters about the role of respected Missourians across the state who want to see this election be about the truth, not false attacks like the ones we’ve seen today.

“Barack Obama’s Truth Squad is comprised of members of the community who – on their own time – are dedicated to raising the level of discourse in this campaign…,” she added.

By the way, a quick surf of the Internet found a McCain Truth Squad in New Hampshire, formed last January, that included several public officials with prosecutorial powers, including the state attorney general.

However, state Republicans have sent out a list of dozens of officeholders — who are lawmakers, not law enforcers — who they said make up the bulk of McCain’s Truth Squads around the country.

what the heck is a "unnaproved truth"?

If you are going to print a Lie, make sur people cant find the truth