Libertarian Ejected From Public Festival In Kansas
Joshua Seiden, Staff Affiliate September 28, 2006
The Johnson County Sun
City officials want to know why police ejected Jason Peck, Libertarian candidate for the 24th District in the Kansas House, from the Mission Arts and Eats Festival.
During the festival's second night, Peck conversed with event goers and distributed campaign literature. Peck said no one objected until Councilwoman Suzie Gibbs approached him with a Mission police officer.
"They told me that I had to leave and that if I came back they would cite me for trespassing," Peck said. "I don't know if the decision came from a higher-up or what."
Gibbs did not respond to messages left on her residential and mobile phone voicemails, nor e-mail. She also could not be reached at City Hall.
Mayor Laura McConwell said in a press release that city officials should not have ejected Peck.
"This is a very unfortunate turn of events and I want to personally apologize to Mr. Peck for the way he was treated," McConwell said. "Mr. Peck should not have been asked to leave this public event. Mr. Peck was within his rights to be campaigning during the Arts and Eats Festival."
McConwell said that Mission is conducting an investigation and has contacted the District Attorney's Office and the League of Kansas Municipalities for guidance.
Peck said he wants assurance that such an incident will not occur again.
"I've got a lawyer who is going to be in contact with them to explain to them why what they did was wrong and also to ask for something in writing to us (stating) that it won't happen again," Peck said. "Otherwise, we're going to file suit."
Peck said city officials silenced his freedom of speech.
"I guess the bottom line with me is that this is a First Amendment issue and I'm really kind of surprised that there's anybody out there, particularly in the City Council, that doesn't understand that," Peck said. "It's disappointing to me that it has to come to this point."
Those who wish to express their opinion to Ms. Gibbs can reach her here:
Suzanne (Suzie) Gibbs:
6432 Reeds Drive, Mission, KS 66202
(913) 671-8564
sgibbs@missionks.org
(Term Expires 2010) <-- This means someone needs to run against her.
Jason Peck:
Currently Jason works as a Senior Programmer / Analyst for Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, (Alice Scott, her daughter Sarah Padilla, his son Kenneth and his daughter Krystal). He is a motorcycle enthusiast, a lifelong competitive shooter, hunter, fisherman, and enjoys all types of outdoor activities. A US Army veteran, volunteer firefighter/EMT, Peck has also been involved in JayCees, NMSS, and established one of the first volunteer youth programs at the Johnson County Juvinile Detention Center in 1996.
Jason plans on focusing on the following priorities during the upcoming campaign.
The Johnson County Sun
City officials want to know why police ejected Jason Peck, Libertarian candidate for the 24th District in the Kansas House, from the Mission Arts and Eats Festival.
During the festival's second night, Peck conversed with event goers and distributed campaign literature. Peck said no one objected until Councilwoman Suzie Gibbs approached him with a Mission police officer.
"They told me that I had to leave and that if I came back they would cite me for trespassing," Peck said. "I don't know if the decision came from a higher-up or what."
Gibbs did not respond to messages left on her residential and mobile phone voicemails, nor e-mail. She also could not be reached at City Hall.
Mayor Laura McConwell said in a press release that city officials should not have ejected Peck.
"This is a very unfortunate turn of events and I want to personally apologize to Mr. Peck for the way he was treated," McConwell said. "Mr. Peck should not have been asked to leave this public event. Mr. Peck was within his rights to be campaigning during the Arts and Eats Festival."
McConwell said that Mission is conducting an investigation and has contacted the District Attorney's Office and the League of Kansas Municipalities for guidance.
Peck said he wants assurance that such an incident will not occur again.
"I've got a lawyer who is going to be in contact with them to explain to them why what they did was wrong and also to ask for something in writing to us (stating) that it won't happen again," Peck said. "Otherwise, we're going to file suit."
Peck said city officials silenced his freedom of speech.
"I guess the bottom line with me is that this is a First Amendment issue and I'm really kind of surprised that there's anybody out there, particularly in the City Council, that doesn't understand that," Peck said. "It's disappointing to me that it has to come to this point."
Those who wish to express their opinion to Ms. Gibbs can reach her here:
Suzanne (Suzie) Gibbs:
6432 Reeds Drive, Mission, KS 66202
(913) 671-8564
sgibbs@missionks.org
(Term Expires 2010) <-- This means someone needs to run against her.
Jason Peck:
Currently Jason works as a Senior Programmer / Analyst for Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, (Alice Scott, her daughter Sarah Padilla, his son Kenneth and his daughter Krystal). He is a motorcycle enthusiast, a lifelong competitive shooter, hunter, fisherman, and enjoys all types of outdoor activities. A US Army veteran, volunteer firefighter/EMT, Peck has also been involved in JayCees, NMSS, and established one of the first volunteer youth programs at the Johnson County Juvinile Detention Center in 1996.
Jason plans on focusing on the following priorities during the upcoming campaign.
- Continue efforts to pass a constitutional amendment preventing eminent domain abuse. Jason strongly supports HB 5025, a firm resolution to protect private property owners' rights.
- Introducing legislation to allow Kansas to opt out of "No Child Left Behind" and regain control of its public schools.
- Introducing legislation to eliminate the sales tax on food products. This is a regressive tax on the poor and elderly, and the income tax rebate intended to offset the tax is ineffective.
posted by Mike Lorrey at 2:34 PM
13 Comments:
I think this is more than a 1st amendment violation. She was clearly using city resources to influence an election. I'm not familiar with Kansas law, but I think this might be a serious offense.
I am quite tired of hearing everyone lament the loss of freedom of speech and the abuse of power. We have another right.. the right to bear arms. We need to combine the right to free speech and bear arms to back it up. When an abuser is confronted with real power then they will ALL begin to have second thoughts about abusing our rights.
They question is.. what are you REALLY willing to die for?
She should resign over this incident. There should be no tolerance for such action. Blocking a political candidate from a public event should be treated with the highest level of disgust by the voters in Kansas. And if she does not resign, she should be driven from office. Her district should be outraged.
You should really refrain from posting home addresses(and I am assuming home phone numbers) of public officials. I am not disagreeing that there was some sort of violation of law, even rights. However, this is the kind of thing that should be handled by the court. Harassment by people who got her phone number of the internet is not going to do any good for either side.
i just called and she ANSWERED, could not believe it. I gave her my name and number, she said she would have to check with the mayor before responding to the article. I will post if she returns with her side.
While this is deplorable, what is even worse is that you feel free to post her personal address.
As a few anonymous commenters were concerned about Ms. Gibbs privacy and expressed dissatisfaction with our publishing her address and phone number, I can categorically state that we obtained this information from the public website of the city of Misson, KS, and therefore this information is a matter of public record, and is so as a matter of the personal volition of Ms. Gibbs.
Furthermore, as Ms. Gibbs is a public official, under the law she has no legal expectations of privacy.
PWNT.
Mr. Peck has a private cause of action against Ms. Gibbs under Federal law, 42 USC 1983. I would think that, given that the rest of the council seems to have repudiated Ms. Gibbs' action, that it might be wise for Mr. Peck's lawyers to offer an agreement not to sue Ms. Gibbs for civil rights violations, provided that Ms. Gibbs remove herself from the position of authority that allowed her to so easily violate his civil rights - that is, that Ms. Gibbs immediately resign her public office and agree not to seek public office for a stated term, perhaps ten years or so.
Clearly he must sue for the sake of free speech rights. The petty dictators must be repudiated by the courts and given a financial reminder that this is still (theoretically) the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Speaking as someone who really, really dislikes the Libertarians, this is horrible. The Councilwoman should resign and apologise publicly- there is no place for this sort of thing in any civilised society.
Why am I not surprised it was a whiney female running to a male (law enforcement officer) boo hooing about some "bad man" doing something she didn't approve of.
I have measured the begining of the Founders Great Experiment when wimmenfolk were allowed to vote beginning in 1920.
There were excellent reasons females were forbidden from voting for such a lengthy period.
This is what beheadings were made for.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home