TEA party to protest detainees: Sterling rally set during hearing for Thomson prison sale

[OneAngryDemocrat]

TEA party to protest detainees: Sterling rally set during hearing for Thomson prison sale

STERLING – Opponents of a plan to house Guantanamo Bay detainees in Carroll County say they’ll protest the move before a public hearing to be held by an advisory panel made up of state House and Senate members.

Illinois TEA Party Patriots, who staged dozens of protests against bailout and federal stimulus spending, plan to rally outside Sterling High School’s Centennial Auditorium 1 hour before the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability opens a mandatory hearing on the sale of Thomson Correctional Center to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

BOP is considering buying the prison to house Department of Defense detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and other federal prisoners. Before Illinois can sell, the state commission must hold at least one public hearing on the matter.

That meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. Dec. 22 in the auditorium, 1608 Fourth Ave. As of Thursday night, it was the only one scheduled.

Opening Thomson under the BOP is estimated to pump more than $1 billion into the local economy in the first 4 years and create up to 3,880 full-time jobs.

But opponents say security risks outweigh any economic benefits.

http://www.saukvalley.com/articles/2009/12/11/77714467/index.xml

Someone needs to organize a counter-protest!!!

Since I work for the Illinois Department of Corrections - I don't think I'm the right person for the job.

Any help DU'ers?