Three people who were removed from one of President Bush’s town-hall meetings on Social Security were mulling their next move after hearing nothing Friday from the White House on their request for information on their removal.
Dan Recht, an attorney representing the three, had asked the White House on April 8 not to destroy any documents or information relating to his clients’ removal, and that those materials be turned over to him.
Recht said the White House did not respond by Friday, as is required by the Freedom of Information Act. A White House spokesman said he was not familiar with Recht’s request.
Karen Bauer, Leslie Weise and Alex Young were removed from Bush’s town hall March 21 at the Wings over the Rockies Museum after they arrived in a car with a bumper sticker reading “No more blood for oil.” The three belong to the organization Denver Progressives.
They say a man wearing a dark suit, earpiece and lapel pin allowed them inside the museum but forced them to leave about 20 to 30 minutes later, even though they had caused no disruptions. They say he also threatened them with arrest. They assumed he was a Secret Service agent.
“Ultimately, we want to know who recruited staffers for this presidential event, who trained event staff to screen and remove citizens based on viewpoint, and who directed event staff to actually eject my clients,” Recht said.
