Lawmaker sued over incident with cockroach-clad protester

[LeighAnn]

Source: The Hutchison (KS) News

An anti-abortion leader is suing a legislator who was fined for assaulting him while he was protesting in a cockroach costume during last year's Kansas State Fair.

Troy Newman, president of the Wichita-based anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, alleges Rep. Vaughn Flora, D-Topeka, violated his free speech rights. The lawsuit, which calls Flora's conduct "socially outrageous, politically oppressive and beyond the bounds of decency which a civilized society should tolerate," seeks $75,000 in damages.

The incident occurred in September 2006, as Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat seeking her second term, was debating her Republican opponent at the fair before more than 2,000 spectators. Flora ripped Newman's mask off his face, leaving a 2-inch cut, according to the lawsuit.

<snip>

"We're looking at a situation here where a message is sent to a crowd of about 2,000 people that this how we deal with political dissent," Bryan Brown, Newman's attorney, said in an interview Monday. "It's a message that in Kansas, pro-life political dissent can be dealt with a smash to the face."

Read more: http://www.hutchnews.com/news/regional/stories/roach061907.shtml

[noamnety]

1. I don't get why it's referred to as "a costume"

if he was just dressed as himself.

[Kagemusha]

2. That sounds a lot more like assault to me.

But I can understand why a judge would at least entertain the notion that it is political suppression in addition to that.

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. There's more to this story than just out of the blue walking up and

ripping a costume mask off someone. You can bet on it.

[noamnety]

5. Oh, I'm sure the cockroach was being disruptive

"They were asking for it" is no excuse for assault.

If he's not booted out of office, he should at least be voted out on the next go-round. Anyone buying into the macho-violence-beat-the-crap-out-of-my enemy mindset doesn't need to be representing us. I hope there's someone ready to run against him in the next primary.

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. I wasn't suggesting anyone was asking for it

just pointing out that we don't know the whole story. It's all speculation at this point because both sides are being presented. Was he in her face screaming and bumping her chest to chest? Was he making/shouting things that were threatening to her or the Governor? I'm not convinced that the "assaultee's" description isn't a blown-up version of the incident in an effort to win his case. It's entirely possible that she reached to remove the mask in order to expose his identity and when she grasped the mask he resisted, resulting in being partial responsibility.

I'm smelling a 1st Amendment Supreme Court challenge hero for the anti-choice crowd.

[noamnety]

9. Clearing up confusion about the people involved

The governor (a woman) didn't assault the cockroach.

A different politician, a man, Flora (last name Flora, hence the gender confusion), hit the cockroach twice before trying to pull the mask off.

If he tried to pull the mask off, and cockroach resisted, that does not make the cockroach partially responsible for any injuries.

If you try to assault me, and I resist, hurting myself in an ensuing fall, you are responsible for those injuries. I am not partially responsible because I resisted.

[Norquist Nemesis]

11. Ah, mistook 'Vaughn' as female for some reason

*smacks forehead*

After reading the entire article though...okay, Flora pleased no contest and paid a fine for the assault. So, yes, he apparently did assault him and that was wrong.

It's also evident that there was/is an agenda here from Newman being advanced Newman, "An anti-abortion leader", is not suing him for assault damages. He is suing that his free speech rights were violated. "The lawsuit said Newman wanted to remain anonymous to "focus attention on his cause." " Also from the article, "They were a pretty big annoyance to a great number of people," Hensley said. "It's unfortunate Representative Flora reacted in the way he did, but I think it's understandable."

Flora was wrong and stupid to do it. Newman's suit makes it look like he didn't "ask for it", but he's delighted he got it.

[Dhalgren]

4. Smashing anti-choice people in the face? Sounds about right to me...

[kestrel91316]

6. Yep. Betcha you blame all pro-choicers for the actions of one

person who no doubt lost his temper when he'd been provoked by an OR freak FAR too long......

Tell me again why you are hanging out on DU.......

[Dhalgren]

8. Back off! re-read my post, child. It is anti-choicers I would not mind smashing.

But it's cool, no harm done. :hi:

[Bozita]

10. He should get a nifty "Purple Heart bandage" from Karl Rove

I hear Karl's got a shithouse full of them.

[Judi Lynn]

12. I shudder to think of the pain this fine American endured, don't you?

A Purple Heart bandage is the least they can do for him.

It's o.k. with him and his group, however, to KILL pro-choice people.

Background on Patriot Christian Newman:

Troy Newman is an American pro-life activist. Born in 1966, in Anchorage, Alaska, Newman was adopted as an infant and raised in the Southern California area. He is the president of Operation Rescue, known before 2002 as Operation Rescue West, which is currently based in Wichita, Kansas.

Newman became the head of this organization after Jeff White's Operation Rescue California closed due to legal judgements incurred by White. Newman moved his organizational headquarters to Wichita, Kansas. There, Operation Rescue West launched its "Year of Rebuke" campaign to expose those with political, professional, and social ties to late-term abortion provider George Tiller. He has shown support for Shelly Shannon who is serving a sentence for wounding Dr. Tiller in a gun attack in 1993.
(snip)

In September 2006, Newman and Army of God member Jonathan O'Toole showed up at an open-air gubernatorial debate dressed as cockroaches, protesting alleged unsanitary conditions at Tiller's clinic. Democratic State Rep. Vaughn Flora (Topeka) recognized Newman, tore his mask off, and was arrested for battery. Flora accepted a $100 fine in lieu of arraignment after the Kansas legislature adjourned for the year.
(snip)

Newman and Operation Rescue West are currently under IRS investigation for charges of money laundering and tax evasion. As alleged by "Maggotpunks.com", Newman's organization receives hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations and has no paid staff; Newman refers to his staff as missionaries and, as a result, does not report their income. Using the donations, Newman has purchased hundreds of thousands of dollars of real estate throughout Kansas.
(snip)

Newman wrote the brief book (ISBN 0-9720367-5-X) "Their Blood Cries Out" with his Vice-President, Cheryl Sullenger, who was convicted along with her husband in 1987 of conspiring to bomb an abortion clinic. In the book he finds Biblical justification for the execution of abortion providers and any woman who receives an abortion. This contradicts his demand for non-violence as expressed in a Rolling Stone interview. He is also the author of several editorials that have been published in newspapers around the nation.

Newman wrote the brief book (ISBN 0-9720367-5-X) "Their Blood Cries Out" with his Vice-President, Cheryl Sullenger, who was convicted along with her husband in 1987 of conspiring to bomb an abortion clinic. In the book he finds Biblical justification for the execution of abortion providers and any woman who receives an abortion. This contradicts his demand for non-violence as expressed in a Rolling Stone interview. He is also the author of several editorials that have been published in newspapers around the nation.

Newman wrote the brief book (ISBN 0-9720367-5-X) "Their Blood Cries Out" with his Vice-President, Cheryl Sullenger, who was convicted along with her husband in 1987 of conspiring to bomb an abortion clinic. In the book he finds Biblical justification for the execution of abortion providers and any woman who receives an abortion. This contradicts his demand for non-violence as expressed in a Rolling Stone interview. He is also the author of several editorials that have been published in newspapers around the nation.

Newman wrote the brief book (ISBN 0-9720367-5-X) "Their Blood Cries Out" with his Vice-President, Cheryl Sullenger, who was convicted along with her husband in 1987 of conspiring to bomb an abortion clinic. In the book he finds Biblical justification for the execution of abortion providers and any woman who receives an abortion. This contradicts his demand for non-violence as expressed in a Rolling Stone interview. He is also the author of several editorials that have been published in newspapers around the nation.
(snip/)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Newman