Posted on 09/24/2002 2:09:34 PM PDT by BlessingInDisguise
Colorado Libertarians amused and irritated at secret ‘spy file’ kept by Denver police
Colorado LP leaders say they are more amused than angry that a newly released Denver Police Department "spy file" describes the Libertarian Party as a "militia" type organization.
"A political party as a militia group? How ridiculous!" said John Berntson, State Chair of the Colorado LP. "Is this the quality of the law enforcement in Denver? Is Barney Fife running the shop?"
According to news reports, the Denver Police Department maintained files on approximately 3,200 Colorado citizens and 208 organizations from across the political spectrum.
The files, which were released to the public in early September, listed the Libertarian Party as a "Militia type organization, pro gun rights."
Former Colorado LP Publications Director Ari Armstrong said the analysis of the party as a militia-style group is flat out wrong.
"The Libertarian Party does not conduct or participate in military-style training," he noted. Instead, it runs candidates for public office, engages in political lobbying efforts, and "participates in peaceable demonstrations in support of individual rights.
"Why the Denver Police Department targeted for investigation the Libertarian Party for peaceably advocating the Bill of Rights remains a mystery," he said.
Overall, the revelation of a Libertarian Party police file was "not a surprise, but it's an outrage," said Armstrong. "Apparently, peaceably advocating the Bill of Rights warrants a police investigation."
The mischaracterization of the Libertarian Party's political nature does raise profound doubts about the intelligence of the Denver Police, said Berntson.
"The files themselves are laughable to the extent that they illustrate just how pathetically ill-informed the Denver P.D. is," he said. "They are also scary for the same reason.
"This is nothing more than government inefficiency and stupidity. This is Denver's tax dollars at their worst, and Denver's citizens should be appalled at their police."
The files became public knowledge this spring, and set off a firestorm of controversy throughout Colorado. Civil libertarians said the files were a worrisome invasion of privacy, similar to the surveillance files kept by former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
In response, Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb instructed the police department to destroy the files -- but only after giving copies to the individuals and organizations that had been monitored.
"It was very clear that something went wrong here," said Andrew Hudson, a spokesman for the mayor. "[Police] intelligence work is necessary, but has to be done right and in a way in which civil liberties aren't trampled."
Began in 1999, the spy files were in the form of a computer database. Records were kept on community activists, "social justice" organizations, and individuals who had attended political meetings and rallies.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Denver Police Department over the files.
The release of the files began in early September. About 300 people and representative of about 70 groups crowded into police headquarters to review their files.
Walter Schlomer, the Colorado LP's fundraising director, picked up a copy of the Libertarian Party's file on September 5.
"It's an outrage," said Schlomer. "In spite of no record of violence or illegal activity of any kind, the Denver P.D. felt it neessary to secretly spy on the LP and keep track of our activities."
In addition to describing the Libertarian Party as a "Militia type organization," and noting it was "pro gun rights," the brief file gave the LP a "Law Enforcement" classification. Police did not explain what that meant.
The file also listed the Libertarian Party's "AKA Name" as the "Denver Metro Libertarian Party," which is a local affiliate of the state LP. In a section labeled "Person Associations," five listings were blacked out.
"There are words and lines blacked out by what looks to be a black marker," said Schlomer. "These represent names in the first two lines and I'm not sure what in the next lines."
Responding to criticism about the files, the Denver Police Department acknowledged that some groups were improperly characterized as "criminal extremists." A police spokesman said untrained clerks mistakenly shoehorned every organization into the few options available in the software's limited menu.
The spokesman also said the department will continue to maintain "intelligence files" only on people who are suspected or convicted of criminal activity, and will have an outside consultant review the files for appropriateness.
LOL...you haven't seen anything yet! willie is clueless on a wide range of subjects, and he's not ashamed to show it either!
It is your New Deal-rooted Big Government-ism that is destroying private property rights. Good thing you posted your coordinates. Now we can rat you out to the EPA for the old pesticide can in your garage and the used motor oil improperly stored. Don't worry, trust the men from the EPA. Us concerned environmentalists would never lie to them, and they are sure to treat you fairly.
"The Lesser of Two Evils is still Evil."
I guess our list of usual suspects prefers Evil.
Arf, arf.
DS, you can't forget what you never knew.
What is with the Green Party comment??
I am not a Green Party backer. Got it??
Speaking of ideology, how's your party's idiotology coming along?? You know, the ideology that does NOT need a declaration of war to go to war?? Really Constitutional and soooooooooo democratic, if'n you like that term. OBTW, let us not forget the recognition of HOMOSEXUALITY as a legitmate lifestyle(or is it deathstyle?)?? Really family oriented aren't you?? You all made me sick to my stomach over that BS! Defend that for me, you mindless drone.
CATO
If they can't stand the criticism of their looniness here, they are free to migrate to LP, Liberty Forum, or start their own site. I've visited the foregoing, and they are dreary group-think places indeed. It would appear that most libertarians don't want to go to those sites either. They ache to stay here, but it angers them that not everybody acknowledges their peerless wisdom and perfect understanding of all things constitutional.
It's a personal problem, not a Free Republic problem.
. . . on this nation's enemies. You bet. You have such people in your ranks. The constitutional "expert" who gunned down the young police officer in Ohio last month for stopping for a traffic violation was just one such person who deserved to be watched closely.
And his feverish rhetoric and threats were virtually identical to Rick Stanley's.
Not much I can say to that, except that you're wrong.
It's a personal problem, not a Free Republic problem.
Believe it or not, I agree with that quite strongly. I have no problem with the moderators canning people, pulling opuses, and the like. When you have a public site, you're going to have people who take things wrongly, and at time people are going to try to make themselves your problem. That is why there are moderators to deal with those sorts of things.
That having been said, it is also true that there are problem people on both sides, every side. Unfortunately, looniness is a universal problem of which the libertarians have no monopoly.
To quote Rush Limbaugh, words mean things. When you say that all libertarians are madmen, you're saying that I am a loony. It's false. When someone else says Republicans are fascists, that is equally false. But those words have been spoken, and they do have consequences.
So, Roscoe, when you're saying libertarians are traitorous criminals, there's only one way that I can respond, and that is with anger. It's a falsehood, and it's an insult. And I will agree that it is not Free Republic's problem, but it is your problem, one which I strongly advise you to correct.
They are your pals. Not mine.
It started long before then. I went to a political meeting of some sort back around "95" or so. Denver PD was covertly recording the plate numbers off of cars in the parking lot.
So how about an olive branch? I'll light a fire under my guys, and you all do the same.
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