Activist wants Bush arrested at GOP convention in Minneapolis

Don't look for the president to be arrested when he arrives in Minneapolis for the 2008 Republican National Convention in September.

Not that at least one long-time community activist hasn't thought of it.

Ed Felien, who runs a neighborhood newspaper, argued before a Minneapolis District Court judge in May that the county attorney should be ordered to arrest the president when he arrives -- and charge him with murder.

A former member of the Minneapolis City Council, Felien believes that Bush committed third-degree murder by sending Minnesota National Guard troops to Iraq on false pretenses. According to Felien's petition:

"This brief is not concerned with George W. Bush's international crimes against humanity. Those are matters for an international court. This brief is not concerned with George W. Bush's crimes against the Constitution. Those are matters for Congress.

What concerns citizens of Hennepin County is whether George W. Bush has violated Minnesota State law. Have his actions caused serious harm to the citizens of Hennepin County? Was this harm incidental to the legitimate performance of his official duties as President, or were his actions and the consequent harm done in pursuit of personal gain? If, as I believe, there is probable cause that George W. Bush has committed crimes against the people of Hennepin County, then it is the responsibility and duty of the County Attorney to charge him for these crimes and hold him accountable."

Patrick Diamond, the Hennepin County Attorney, urged District Court Judge Gary Larson to deny Felien’s request for a writ of mandamus arguing that "whatever Petitioner’s, the County Attorney's, or even the Court's views as to the conduct of the President of the United States, we all operate under a system of laws with criminal processes designed to be fair and just." According to The Public Record, Diamond argued that in Minnesota, one of the fundamental guarantees of fairness is that "the decision whether to initiate a particular prosecution is discretionary and therefore normally beyond the scope of mandamus."

Felien, in an e-mail headlined "Arrest Bush!" reports that "as of today, the judge still has the matter under advisement." Wondering whether the judge is taking the petition seriously or has forgotten about it, as the publisher of Southside Pride observes, "Hope still beats in this fevered breast."

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Eric Draper/White House

Comments

[Al Ramirez]

People need to step back from their facists pacifist ideologies and accept the brutal fact of life that the President is the Law of the Land in Regards to Military Use and This War was sanctioned by the United States Congress overwhelmingly. War is Hell and the only way to avoid further problems in the Middle East as we have for nearly 50 years then we need to stay and finish the process of Victory.

[Sean K]

AlRamirez: You are clearly completely ignorant of history (and life in general, most likely). The only reason we had 'peace' in the middle east for 50 years is because our enemies couldn't reach us yet. As soon as we started arming Israel to invade, occupy and destroy their neighbors without provocation we ensured our entanglement in this horrible quagmire, which will probably eventually lead to World War III. And incidentally, there has never in the history of the planet been a fascist pacifist movement of any significance. Fascists are ALWAYS war mongers. Like you and your Bush babies.

[Craig Muldavin]

The Iraq war is the only military action by the U.S. in decades that the "pacifists" are right about. Every chipmonk gets a nut once in a while.
The President is the law of the land in military use to a point. However if the President were to order the military to prevent Congress from being in session, the orders would not be obeyed because they were not legal.

[Ed Felien]

George W. Bush has committed horrible crimes against the people of the world, the state of Minnesota and the state of California. With regard to the war in Iraq, Elizabeth de la Vega's book U S v. Bush outlines the basic argument that Bush engaged in Criminal Fraud to get us into the war, and that analysis is seconded by Vince Bugliosi's excellent book just out. My argument is that Bush did it for the money. His family owns Halliburton (something no one wants to talk about) and beside the multi-billion dollar no-bid contracts, they also had control of the oil leases for Iraq up to now. More info on this and on the Bush ties to the Saudi princes and oil price fixing and to the Opium Warlords in Afghanistan and collusion to distribute heroin are available at Southside Pride website under appeal, writ, response and answer.

[Ed Felien]

Elizabeth de la Vega's book "U S v. Bush" details charges of Criminal Fraud against Bush for getting us into the war in Iraq, and "The Prosecution of George W Bush For Murder" by Vincent Bugliosi goes into detail on how to conduct a criminal trial against Bush for murder. My case also details motive: he did it for the money. His family owns Halliburton and besides the multi-billion dollar no-bid contracts, they got the oil leases for the last six years. I also charge Bush with conspiracy with the Saudi princes to fix oil prices and collusion with the Opium Warlords in Afghanistan to distribute heroin. Complete copies of my Appeal to the County Attorney, my Writ of Mandamus, their response and my answer are available at Southsidepride dot com.

[Eric Rech]

My son is in Iraq. I live in Hennepin County. I support our country and I support our President no matter what. I hate the fact that my son has been on two tours and my nephews have also done tours in Iraq. I hate the fact that we are at war and there is no end in sight. I would take a bullet for Bush as I would any other President of the United States as I believe in America and stand by her under any circumstance.

[Will D.]

For all you War Nuts out there, yes the president does have a limited authority to declare war, however, this president LIED and FALSIFIED information. This is TREASON and he should be arrested. Blindly supporting a war doesn't make you more american nor patriotic.

[Andrew Wang]

Bush is the worst president in American history. Bush facilitated the 9/11 attacks. Subsequently, Bush lied to Congress and the American people relative to the reasons for invading Iraq. Bush purposefully misled Congress and the American people. Then, Bush murdered more than 4,000 United States service members. And Bush wounded more than 30,000 United States service members. In torturing prisoners of war, Bush patently violated the Geneva Convention. Bush unlawfully wiretapped United States citizens. In using “signing statements” to challenge hundreds of laws passed by Congress, Bush violated the Constitution. Bush has ignored global warming. Bush is guilty of criminal negligence relative to the response to Hurricane Katrina. Bush disobeys our democratic values and Constitution. Bush is a disgrace to the United States.

Indeed, Bush should be arrested.

Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang
B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA

[Stardog]

The president is NOT THE LAW OF THIS LAND, the CONSTITUTION is. Unfortunately ignorant sheep such as Al and Craig splater out the same verbal diaherra(there is a lot inside their heads). People like Al and Craig are what we call fat lazy cowards that talk tough but are scared of weak, diseased, starving camel riders thousands of miles away and think that a "war" will stop them from dog paddling across the ocean and running amok in their home towns. AL and Craig would rather spend TRILLIONS and murder MILLIONS in preventing something so illogical as "terrorists" then actualy man up like the founding fathers laid out and take care of their communities and families and be independent and free thinkers. No, them like and bunch of other fearful mcdonalds laden idots all have been lulled to sleep by a corporate funded war drum and as long as Wal Mart is open 24 hours a day and underaged and drugged up asain girls are naked and being molested on their computer screens everything is fine in America. Dissent is Patriotism!