Why I don't have bumper stickers on my car

Secret Service probes claim three ousted from Bush meet

By Associated Press
March 29, 2005

DENVER - The U.S. Secret Service on Monday said it was investigating the claims of three people who said they were removed from President Bush's town hall meeting on Social Security last week after being singled out because of a bumper sticker on their car.

The three said they had obtained tickets through the office of U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez, R-Colo., had passed through security and were preparing to take their seats when they were approached by a man they thought was a Secret Service agent who asked them to leave.

One woman, Karen Bauer, 38, a marketing coordinator from Denver, said the agent put his hand on her elbow and steered her away from her seat and toward an exit.

"The Secret Service had nothing to do with that," said Lon Garner, special agent in charge of the Secret Service district office in Denver. "We are very sensitive to the First Amendment and general assembly rights as protected by the Constitution."

The three, along with their attorney, Dan Recht, met with Garner on Monday. Recht said he may file a lawsuit based on the alleged violation of his clients' First Amendment rights.