IOWA CITY, Iowa - Federal prosecutors, citing government immunity from lawsuits, have asked a judge to dismiss a claim by two women who were arrested at a Bush campaign rally and strip-searched at a county jail.
Alice McCabe and Christine Nelson, both teachers in their 50s, last spring sued the Secret Service, Linn County, and the Iowa State Patrol and two of its officers.
The suit claims officers violated their rights to free speech and free association.
The women said they were standing on a sidewalk next to a public park in Cedar Rapids, where President Bush was holding a campaign rally last September, when Secret Service agents asked them to leave.
The women said they left the sidewalk and moved to a nearby parking lot, but moments later were asked to move again.
After challenging the order, the women say they were arrested by state troopers and taken to the county jail, where they were strip-searched and charged with criminal trespass — a charge that later was dropped.
So, forced away from a public park because you might hold opinions that differ from those of Dear Leader, taken to jail, strip searched for no other reason than to degrade and humiliate you, and get charged with criminal acts.
...Which are cheerfully dropped once Chimpy is safely away from these two horribly dangerous teachers in their 50's.
...And then have your complaints more or less jeered by the courts.
"Government immunity from lawsuits." Sweet zombie Jesus.
(Bolds mine. Black cross-post and that little boy's smile...)
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