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Man accused of assaulting Cheney files new motion

By Ivan Moreno, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 14, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Dick Cheney helping raise funds for Rep. Marilyn Musgrave.

Dick Cheney helping raise funds for Rep. Marilyn Musgrave.

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A man suing the Secret Service because he said he was wrongfully arrested and accused of assaulting Dick Cheney has renewed his attempt to subpoena the vice president to tell a judge what happened.

"Cheney is the best eyewitness to the case," said attorney David Lane, who is representing Steven Howards, of Golden.

Howards claims Secret Service agents wrongfully arrested him in June 2006 because he walked up to Cheney and told him his policies in Iraq were "disgusting." Howards said he approached Cheney while the vice president was shaking hands and posing for pictures in a mall.

Cheney was attending a conference at the time in Beaver Creek, about two hours west of Denver.

Cheney spokeswoman Lea Foster said Tuesday she can't comment on pending litigation.

Lane said Cheney opposes the subpoena, but that hasn't discouraged him. "I feel confident the vice president will be deposed," he said.

Cheney's attorneys have 20 days to respond to the latest motion, which was filed Monday in federal court.

Howards said he "lightly touched" Cheney on the arm after making his Iraq comment and left. But Howards said a Secret Service agent later questioned and handcuffed him, telling him he would be charged with assaulting the vice president. Howards was released and no charges were ever filed.

Howards said in his 2006 lawsuit that his First Amendment right to free speech and his Fourth Amendment protection from unreasonable search and seizure were violated.

His lawsuit seeks an unspecified monetary amount.

Lane said he wants to know whether Cheney told the Secret Service to arrest Howards, an environmental consultant.

Cheney drops in

Vice President Dick Cheney made a brief visit to Colorado Wednesday to raise money for Republican congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave. Cheney's office says he flew into Buckley Air Force Base in the morning and went to the private fundraiser in suburban Littleton. Buckley officials say he departed from the air base at about 1 p.m.

Musgrave is running against Democrat Betsy Markey, who served as Sen. Ken Salazar's regional director. Cheney's last announced visit to the state was in April, when he attended a private fundraiser in Grand Junction for Senate candidate Bob Schaffer.

Comments

  • August 14, 2008

    7:14 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    LingLingfor_prez writes:

    Don't touch my arm bro'

  • August 14, 2008

    7:18 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Duckster writes:

    Why waste all the money and effort fighting our enemies overseas when so many of them are here in Colorado? No need to hunt for those who want to undermine our democratically-elected government...just drop by David Lane's office and it'll be full of them.

    Steven Howards is someone that I would not mind seeing deported or sent to Guantanamo. Maybe we could swap him for someone willing to come here and actually be loyal to America.

  • August 14, 2008

    7:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    taoistblockhead writes:

    Loyalty to the Fascist traitors Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Gonzolez, etc and their Neoconvict enablers. Onward Chrisitan Soldiers and Corporate defenders of disaster capitalism at all costs.

    Trash the Constitution and sell the government to the highest bidders. All Hail the Wrecking Crew!

    Paid for by War Criminals R US LLC.

  • August 14, 2008

    8:21 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    LingLingfor_prez writes:

    Hey blockhead, does your rant count as volunteer time for your convention tickets?

  • August 14, 2008

    8:27 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    youme writes:

    cheney is scum

  • August 14, 2008

    8:33 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    DenverDan writes:

    Cheney will shoot that man in the face, if he dont watch himself.

  • August 14, 2008

    8:39 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    LingLingfor_prez writes:

    DenverDan,
    Now that is something we can all agree on, given the track record.

  • August 14, 2008

    9:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Cowboy63 writes:

    It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you don't lay hands on the VP. By the guy's own admission - he did just that. Now he's filed a lawsuit (welcome to litigation happy America).

    He enjoyed his First Amendment right and freely spoke his mind - now he gets to enjoy the responsibility.

    "Don't bite it if you can't chew it".