While the local media presented the outcome of Chris Pentico's sentencing hearing yesterday as a win for the government, it was actually the other way round.

Judge Kevin Swain, his courtroom packed with more engaged voters than he has probably ever seen in one place at one time, gave Chris Pentico a withheld judgment yesterday and 30 days probation, which means that Chris's guilty verdict (on trespassing in the governor's office) goes away as long as he doesn't rob a convenience store or something in the next month.

I'm quite sure the outpouring of support for Pentico startled the judge, who was forced to move the sentencing hearing to a larger chamber and had no idea that his mishandling of Pentico's trial had turned him into a martyr for the cause of those who complain about government overreach.

It's troublesome that Judge Swain (right) never required Chris's accuser to appear. It is a fundamental right under our system of justice for the accused to have the opportunity to cross-examine his accuser in open court. His accuser, apparently, was the governor's aide Clete Edmundsen, who made the call ordering Pentico's detention. But Edmundsen never appeared in court to answer questions from Pentico's attorney as to the basis on which he ordered up the arrest.

But surely a judge has a duty to allow the defense to explore whether the original detention was for just cause. What exactly had Pentico done that justified being handcuffed on a public sidewalk and charged with a crime? Had he done anything other than annoy people through his persistence? Is making people "uncomfortable" or "nervous" now sufficient grounds for police to slap you in cuffs! ? Should this arrest even have taken place at all? Further, why was the charge amended not once but twice, as prosecutors fumbled around after the fact to find some place in the code to land in going after Pentico?Perhaps the public attention drawn to this case prompted Judge Swain to re-examine his earlier handling of the trial, and he did everything short of simply reversing himself on the verdict yesterday. He essentially made it possible for his guilty verdict to be wiped from the slate, which is as close as a judge can come to a do-over.

Surely there is a better way for our elected representatives to handle an annoying constituent than slapping him in cuffs and forcing him to spend $8,000 to defend himself.

Clayton Cramer's BLOG: Chris Pentico's sentencing

At a time when the State of Wyoming is blessed with so many strong, pro-Family legislators and officials, many of whom are members of the LDS, Catholic, Christian, Evangelical churches, WyWatch Family Institute leaders are shocked and saddened by the Family Values Award being conferred upon our current Governor Freudenthal and his wife, Nancy. Numerous Family Values Organizations have worked for many years with these tireless and unsung elected officials, many of whom have been unwavering in their commitment to the family values described as the very criteria for this award. In spite of this, our current Governor and his wife Nancy are being honored as the very first Wyoming recipients of this award.

Gwen Hamilton and WyWatch Family Institute Board Members met with Bruce Asay, one of the committee members for this award, about our concerns. We advised him that this looks like an endorsement of Governor Freudenthal for the next election. Bruce Asay stated that the committee was intending to award the positive steps taken by the two towards family values and to use it to build bridges. We advised him that it was a slap in the face to all those elected officials and organizations that truly stood for life, marriage, parental rights, and other strong family values that obviously stand united in this work.

As recent as this past legislative session, in his state of the state address, Governor Freudenthal warned the legislators to not bother with or waste any time on the “social issues”. This was directed squarely at the numerous pro-life bills and the constitutional marriage amendment that had the support of 78% of registered voters.

In 2007, Governor Freudenthal vetoed an unborn victim’s bill named the “Homicide During Pregnancy” which would have made murdering a pregnant woman a double homicide in the state of Wyoming. He allowed Planned Parenthood and NARAL victory after many long hours of hard work by these strong pro-Family legislators.

In 2006 on behalf of Hillary Clintons “it takes a village to raise a child” type of a universal preschool legislation erroneously called “The Quality Child Care” bill, Nancy Freudenthal lobbied extensively. This legislation would have given state governmental control over what was taught in all preschools and daycares. One Quality Child Care taskforce member stated, “Who better to raise our children than the United States Government?”

And then there is the fact that during the 2003 Pro-Life March, the 30th anniversary of the infamous Roe Vs. Wade Supreme Court ruling, while Pastor Dick Young was speaking for the rights of the unborn children of this state….Nancy Freudenthal was speaking in favor of murdering our unborn children on the capitol steps at the Pro-Choice rally, saying, “We honor those who dared to look at the reality and refused to accept or normalize what they saw,” she said of Margaret Sanger and other women who, at the turn of the century, fought to improve reproductive health care for women.

Freudenthal also spoke of personal freedoms she said were granted to women by the Constitution and the recognition of those freedoms echoed in the Roe versus Wade decision. –Wyoming Tribune Eagle article by Eric Wright 1-19-2003

After learning of this award and meeting with Bruce Asay, WyWatch Family Institute leaders are very disappointed and hope to see the true pro-Family patriots across our state recognized in the future for for their time honored values of protecting life, marriage, parental rights, and many other Judeo-Christian principles.

Becky Vandeberghe
President
WyWatch Family Institue
P.O. Box 20515
Cheyenne, WY 82003
contact@wywatch.org
307.316.0212

Monday, April 13, 2009
Bryan Fischer, Executive Director, Idaho Values Alliance

Tea Party Boise Planned For Wednesday April 15, Capitol Park, Boise, ID

Tea Parties are now scheduled for about 1,800 communities nationwide as ordinary Americans are growing increasingly alarmed at out-of-control taxation and spending at all levels of government and increasing regulation of every part of American life.

Al Trees, the spokesman for Boise's Tea party, says, "Right now, we're sliding toward a place where bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., are running our lives and making all of our major decisions for us. They're already sucking us dry with out-of-control spending and taxation. They're deciding how much we can earn, what we can and can't drive and even what we can say where we say it."

The focus of the local Tea Party movement is on a return to the Constitution, a renewed emphasis on individual freedom and responsibility, restoration of state sovereignty under the 10^th Amendment, smaller government, lower taxes and less regulation.

Added Trees, "It's important that our own state legislators hear our voice and get a feel for the intense amount of energy that's out there right now. They ignore it at their peril."

A bill introduced to Congress in January offers a possible sign of hope. The "Enumerated Powers Act" (H.R. 450) would require each act of Congress to "contain a concise and definite statement of the constitutional authority relied upon for enactment of each portion" of the act.

Since much of what Congress does, especially in welfare and education, has no specific constitutional authorization, rigorous application of this law could help.

Boise's Tea Party formally begins at 11:00 a.m. at Ann Morrison Park and culminates with a 12:30 p.m. rally in Capitol Park, on th! e south side of the state capitol building.

While the IVA's name is not on this event, we are providing some behind the scenes assistance and we support the overall goals of the Tea Party Boise movement.

All this comes as the Treasury Department said Friday that the federal deficit increased by $192.3 billion in March alone, and is nearly $1 trillion just halfway through the budget year.

The Obama administration projects this year's deficit to hit $1.75 trillion, four times the annual record set last, which triggered so many complaints against the Bush administration.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office projects that Obama's budget proposals will generate annual deficits of almost $1 trillion every year through 2019.

For more information about events on the 15^th: www.teapartyboise.com or
www.teapartyday.com .

Enumerated Powers Act - H.R.450

'Tea party' to send message to D.C. | Local News | Idaho Statesman