FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESt. Paul, Minnesota -- August 12, 2008 -- Impeach for Peace (IfP), along with others looking to demonstrate at the Republican National Convention (RNC), filed a lawsuit Friday with the help of the ACLU of Minnesota in Ramsey County District Court demanding our right to free speech. Plaintiffs include: Jodin Morey and Mikael Rudolph of Impeach for Peace, Colleen and Ross Rowley, and Ron Deharporte.
Impeach for Peace is a grassroots, nonpartisan organization based in Minnesota with chapters in twelve states throughout the country working to achieve the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney and holding them and future elected officials fully accountable under the Rule of Law.
The RNC is having their election year convention in St. Paul, Minnesota at the Xcel Energy Center. During this event, the St. Paul Police have decided to relegate most speech activities in what they call the ‘Primary Event Area’ to an inadequate ‘Designated Public Assembly Area’ or free speech zone. The ‘Primary Event Area’ remains to be fully defined by the police, making it impossible for people to know where in St. Paul they can exercise their rights to freedom of expression and assembly. At the convention, members of congress, mayors, governors, the President and Vice-President of the United States are expected to be in attendance. This provides IfP and other potential demonstrators with a unique opportunity to express their political messages to these governmental officials.
The lawsuit alleges that the St. Paul City Council and police have created guidelines for the RNC which restrict free speech to areas that are “inadequate and unacceptably small.”
The ACLU also alleges that the City Council/Police denied IfP their due process rights as stipulated in the Minnesota State Constitution by failing to give notice of their plans regarding free speech restrictions, which would have allowed for public comment and a public hearing.
The ACLU also contends that the City Council/Police has also reserved the right to modify the guidelines at any time in ways that the ACLU contends are in violation of the Minnesota State Constitution.
The lawsuit seeks to have the guidelines declared by the court to be in violation of IfP’s free speech rights, to have the Primary Event Area and the Designated Public Assembly Area clearly defined and officially released to the public, and to have the Designated Public Assembly Area include additional areas that are within sight and sound of the convention.
John Choi, the St. Paul city attorney has said "These two [lawsuits] represent an attempt by the plaintiffs to get another bite at the apple in state court." He continued that the city has afforded "unprecedented access and accommodations for the protesters."
Mr. Choi is incorrect regarding IfP’s “bite at the apple,” as the plaintiffs on this lawsuit have not previously been a plaintiff in a lawsuit regarding their free speech rights at the RNC. There was a previous lawsuit with different plaintiffs, but it dealt primarily with a march planned, not the specifics of the Designated Public Assembly Area.
Secondly, while Mr. Choi and Impeach for Peace may differ as to what is an acceptable amount of restriction on free speech, these differences could have been worked out if the city had engaged in its constitutional due process requirements.
Those interested in IfP’s plans for the RNC, are invited to attend a meeting at Joe’s Garage on the north side of Loring Park in Minneapolis on Sunday, August 17, at 4 p.m.
For more information please contact Jodin Morey, Cofounder of Impeach for Peace, at 612.328.1451.
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Additional Contact Information:
organizer@impeachforpeace.org
minneapolis@impeachforpeace.org
http://impeachforpeace.org
Impeach for Peace sent Dennis Kucinich a huge box of 
Impeach or Else Rally
It is now undeniable that the Federal Government has failed us completely. We have asked our representatives to hold the Bush Administration accountable. Instead, they have blocked the Impeachment movement all over our country.
So spread the word, tell your friends, your family, your coworkers, your allies. We will hold a rally Monday, March 17th, on the steps of the Capitol Building in St Paul. When we are finished with the rally, we will storm the Capitol Building. We shall demand that the Minnesota House and Senate immediately pass a resolution calling for the Impeachment of George W Bush and Dick Cheney (
then you will face opposition in the next election cycle. The message that you will face will be simple, direct and clear. It will be that you refused to honor your Oath to Protect and Defend the Constitution from All Enemies, Foreign and Domestic. That instead you, by your refusal to start impeachment actually defend the criminals in the Bush Administration and continue the illegal occupation in Iraq. 
We will actively work against your reelection to the MN State Legislature, regardless of your party affiliation. We will make this very personal. This is how we will ensure that you listen to the demands of We the People, instead of the lobbyists who fund your campaigns. Oh and before you try and give us excuses, we have done our homework. We already know that according to the Constitution, an impeachment resolution is virtually the only thing that the Governor is unable to veto.
This is is to encourage all of us to go to our state's caucuses/primaries. Have you ever complained about having to choose between the lesser of evils? Do something about it! If we are to ensure that we needn't impeach more political servants, then it starts with ensuring that we have respectable politicians from which to vote. Caucus and ensure that at least one of the political candidates chosen is one for which you'd actually wish to vote. Ensure that the presidential candidate and any other political candidates being chosen at your state's caucus believes in accountability.
• Go to: 
From 
'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing'
The following describes Impeach for Peace's (IfP) attempt to encourage Rep. Betty McCollum to sign H. Res. 333 calling on the impeachment of Richard B. Cheney. Specifically, this describes my attempt to pressure her congressional district to pass a resolution calling on Rep. McCollum to co-sign 333. 
I could blame it on their pursuit of the politically moderate vote (although this assumes that the politically moderate and the right wing media don't favor accountability). Whatever their reason, the result is behaving exactly how the current Republican Party would have them act. Voters on the left side of the spectrum see those who are part of the Democratic machinery as being spineless. And, for whatever reason, those who are part of that machinery don’t care, or are unaware of the bold actions they need to take. Their political base, therefore, are not inspired to show up and vote for them -- and who can blame them. Much of the base either fails to vote at all or split the progressive vote by voting for the Green Party. I could accuse J.P. Barone (Chariperson of McCollum's Congressional District) of purposefully leaving the impeachment resolution off the agenda, but there is no way to know. What I do know is that J.P. Barone is part of the problem. He is obviously more interested in supporting the Democratic Party than supporting the needs of the people that Party is supposed the represent. His actions subsequently accomplish neither. Somehow when people become part of the Democratic machinery, they lose sight of where their allegiance should lie. I am not sure what the solution to this is, but, at least for my part, it’s holding them accountable. 
So I wrote an e-mail to the chairperson of the DFL 4th Congressional District, J.P. Barone. He informed me that guests were welcome to speak at their executive committee meetings, and the next one was on August 21, 2007. Many members of Impeach for Peace came to the meeting in support of 
The SPEAKER presented a petition [...] of the Town of New Salem, Massachusetts, relative to a Resolution to impeach President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard B. Cheney; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
It's time! ImpeachForPeace.org is traveling to Washington DC at the end of this month to deliver thousands of Do-It-Yourself Impeachment Memorials to
As a follow-up to our 
A new chapter of 
From Michael Cavlan, Green Party Candidate for U.S. Senate from Minnesota (IfP does not endorse any political candidates running for office).
Greens are now contacting Cam Gordon to carry forward a Resolution for Impeachment to the Minneapolis City Council, thereby reflecting the will of the Green party membership in Minnesota.