Officials Realize They Violated First Amendment, Attempt To Backtrack

That's my translation of the following headline...

AP: Police Apologize, Drop Charge Vs. Sheehan

Capitol Police dropped a charge of unlawful conduct against antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan on Wednesday and apologized for ejecting her and a congressman's wife from President Bush's State of the Union address for wearing T-shirts with war messages.

Isn't it amazing that a day after the speech, the Capitol Police now realize they were wrong to remove these people? A cynical person might again note that then the reason for removal was not based on law and likely just a desire to cleanse the hall of potential dissent, even though neither were disruptive, before his majesty, the President arrived. I do not wish to be cynical, of course.

The money quote-

Capitol Police did not explain why Sheehan was arrested and Young was not. However, Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer was asking the U.S. attorney's office to drop the charge against Sheehan, according to Deputy House Sergeant of Arms Kerri Hanley.

And this quote from Deputy House Sergeant of Arms-

"They were operating under the misguided impression that the T-shirt was not allowed," Hanley said Wednesday. "The fact that she (Sheehan) was wearing a T-shirt is not enough reason to be asked to leave the gallery or be removed from the gallery or be arrested."

Really? You don't say!

Charges dropped or not, I'd still like to see Ms. Sheehan or Ms. Young push this issue, as a reminder of the constitutional confusion this President has created. This isn't the first time this has happened, nor do I expect it to be the last.