Tharin Gartrell, 28; Shawn Robert Adolf, 33;
and Nathan Johnson, 32
We noticed last week that it was awfully peculiar that Colorado’s U.S. Attorney, Troy Eid, had so airily dismissed conspiracy charges against the three white-supremacist tweakers who were caught planning to assassinate Barack Obama at last week’s Democratic National Convention in Denver.
Now it turns out that those suspicions were fully warranted:
KUSA – 9Wants to Know has learned three men in Denver planned to assassinate U.S. Senator Barack Obama during the Democratic National Convention in Denver by sneaking into one of his events and shooting him with a gun hidden inside of a camera, according to federal court records.
Nathan Johnson’s girlfriend, whom 9NEWS is not naming because she’s a juvenile, said it would have to be a suicide mission.
The plot is similar to that in the 1992 movie "The Bodyguard" starring actors Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. In the movie, Costner stops an assassination attempt against Houston by spotting a weapon hidden inside a gutted-out TV camera.
Johnson, Shawn Adolf and Tharin Gartrell all thought that Obama had a suite in the third floor of the Hyatt hotel, where they were staying. In fact, the Senator was staying in another Denver Hotel.
The men were doing methamphetamine inside the hotel with two women on Aug. 23 discussing the plot to kill Obama, according to federal records.
Adolf said "it would not matter if he killed Senator Obama because police would simply add a murder charge to his pending charges," according to the records. There were seven outstanding warrants for Adolf’s arrest.
The underage woman told law enforcement that Adolf also talked about using "a high-powered rifle 22-250 from a high vantage point" to shoot Senator Obama during his acceptance speech at INVESCO Field at Mile High during the DNC.
Even more significant, beyond the details of the plot, was the fact that, as the Colorado Independent notes, the FBI asked for more serious charges to be filed and were turned down.
When police searched the hotel rooms and cars the men were using, they confiscated meth, needles, laptops, cell phones, a black mask, books indicating check fraud and forgery, bags of new clothes, tactical pants and bar coupons.
Based on the evidence, FBI special agent Robert Sawyer believed there was probable cause to charge the men with conspiracy to kill Senator Obama. However, US Attorney Troy Eid last week said there is insufficient evidence to indicate a true threat, plot or conspiracy against the senator.
Note the language used by Eid in dismissing the gravity of the case: the case isn’t serious because they were "more aspirational, perhaps, than operational"? Well, when it was the Liberty Seven — black Muslim men who were described by the FBI as "aspirational rather than operational" — there was no hesitation by the Justice Department in bringing charges.
Another funny thing: When a black man in prison sent a threatening letter containing baby powder to John McCain, Troy Eid brought down the full force of the law, complete with press conferences and public declarations that "We won’t stand for threats of this kind in Colorado."
But when it’s a claque of white men with rifles, disguises, and all the accoutrement of a conspiracy – as well as open admissions to it – Troy Eid isn’t worried. After all, they just a bunch of harmless, tweakers, right? … Just like little Timmy McVeigh.
But then, when you’re a Karl Rove operative promoted to deliver justice the Republican way, as Troy Eid is, that’s the way the scales fall. As Marcy reported at the time, Eid in fact nearly didn’t get the Colorado job because of concerns about "improper lobbying."
His failure to take this matter seriously is itself a serious matter. When law-enforcement officials let this stuff slip by, they send a dangerous message to other would-be plotters out there. And next time, they may in fact be more competent.
Related posts:
- Some Alleged 9/11 Plotters to be Tried in SDNY, Storehouse of Evidence Untainted by Torture
- Karl Rove: Obama Will Be Judged by His Ability to Clean Up George W. Bush’s Mess
- Obama to (Finally) Fulfill One Promise, Release WH Visitor Logs
- Karl Rove May Not Care About Muslims’ Opinion of the US, But We Should
- Obama Embraces Patriot Act: Where’s the Outrage?
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And why were they not called terrorists like some of the people in St. Paul?
David, thanks for staying with this story – it is outrageous.
Who reviews this stuff? Is there no oversight? This is such a sad night while our country listens to the irrationals take our the airwaves and whatever may come next.
Is it me or is Fiorina in love with the camera?
the juxtaposition of this post and the previous one, Eight RNC Protesters Face State Terrorism Charges, makes for a good contrast
Digg it HERE. Thanks to ThomasMiffin.
Mother. Fuck.
ya know, it really wasn’t all that long ago that we lived in a functioning democracy.
Sure feels like it though.
couldn’t let these boys miss the convention now could we?
if you plot to kill a Democratic presidential candidate, it’s no big deal. if you protest at the Republican convention, it’s state terrorism.
I can’t believe the MSM hasn’t taken this story forward.
This is the kind of non-accountability that happens when the Dem leadership takes US Atty firings inquiries or other impeachable offenses off the table… or when they confirm a Mukasey without blinking.
another example of the double standard we live under!!
Dugg. Thanks. This needs wide coverage.
bingo. that’s the message i get too.
This is outrageous.
It takes one breath away. They don’t even care about something of that magnitude. I grew up in the fifties, I guess I was a real stooge, I thought I was a patriot. I like to think it was different back then, but I think they just did a better job of concealing it. Now they have dropped all pretenses.
the Mittster speaking now
how many minutes til he says “maverick”?
Dear gawd. Romney slamming the WaPo and NYT as elite. (with darker hair)
So are these thugs charged with littering?
gorget MSm they tried to portray ST paul protesters as lunatic fringe when they bothered to cover them at all!
Mittster calling the Supreme Court “liberal” LOL
Thank you yet again David.
Can FDL somehow create a permanent record of all this wretched nonsense that is untouchable by crazies, whether “official/powerful” or not?
Sorry. I’m spooked, at this point. Nothing seems safe anymore.
If they keep this up, they will find a pissed off press. teehee
Romney trying to demonstrate he is ready to step in when Palin crashes and burns?
rnc news: my former (thank dog for that!) governer, mittens, is blaming all the worlds problems on “the liberals”
I don’t think some of them are even dialed in. Should be, but…
Romney real scary republican !
I know I’m from MA!
This has been too depressing a week for me.
I cannot stand to see what is happening in the Twin Cities.
I cannot take this politicization of _everything_ in our government–federal and local security, the “Justice” Department.
And I cannot stand to see that this hardly ever, i.e. never? makes the front page.
p.s., david and anyone else, you needn’t answer. we just need a record of these times and what happen
sed. for future generations.Some in ours seem to have lost their way…
Yup. He’s already putting me to sleep. Wait, he just said it’s time for big (something) and not big brother. Say what???
Romney calls Democratic Party “the party of Big Brother”
while fascism rules in the streets of St. Paul
When Mitt der Tool said ”the Post and Times” he was talking about the New York Post and Washington Times, right? Right?
I love the way he say that they are not the party of Big Brother, but Big Ideas. Fuck. What a Moron.
Now he says that the economy is the fault of the Democrats… has he been asleep for the last eight years? Apparently.
Mittens likes nukes and offshore drilling
that’s the “change” McBush will bring?
Shows ya what nearly 30 years of conservative policies have done for this country
“Let’s keep Al Gore’s private jet on the ground.”
Oh good, the Axis of Evil lives…
Straight talk vs. politically correct talk. Poor guy. And then the basic, “BOO!”
FU Mittenman! What a major asshole this idiot is. He has singlehandedly sent antacid futures soaring…
now through Marcy’s links, I find Allard’s name but zero mention of Salazar – is it only Governors and the more senior of a state’s senators who get to nominate ?? –
I’m just wondering, and probably sound naive as hell, but why doesn’t someone in the Obama campaign pick up the phone and call Salazar’s office and demand some answers to David’s questions ?
oh btw – the all but worthless Salazar did sponsor a bill
Introduced in 3/7 – still in committee
I mention it as there’s a remote possibility Salazar may have some “sensitivity” on the issue
The horror of a couple of decades of conservative leadership is that one can’t dismiss speculation about BushCo conspiracy to commit some heinous atrocity. Such speculation about previous conspiracies have proven all too real, in all cases. I am sickened by the cesspool that republicans have made of my country.
Real conspirators, physically working together in furtherance of a common plan to commit violent acts, possibly including murder, get a wrist slap and are told to go home and sleep in their sheets instead of wear them over their heads. But political dissidents, guilty of nothing beyond possibly simple trespass or common assault, which ordinarily would earn a wrist-slap punishment, have charges against them ratcheted up to precursors to terrorism, whatever TF that is, because it makes the Goopers look good?
The media, state and federal governments, and state courts respond not with outrage or immediate dismissal of obviously overreaching prosecutorial claims, but with, ”Yes, those are both wise and sound decisions”?
Beam me up, Scotty; there’s no intelligent life down here.
People holding up a “BUILD THE FENCE” sign. I assume kool-aid is the only beverage sold at the Xcel Center?
despicable but not surprising.
Thanks to those that are watching the convention speeches. I can’t stomach the lies.
shorter Mittens: God DAMN Libul America !!!
The sight of Republicans attempting to get down is, well-just sad.
They didn’t have buckets of urine and slingshots?
My apolitical wife, listening to Mittens, just said “Why is Mitt calling Bush a liberal.”
You can bet they are not the one’s having the fence built through their property!
It staggers the imagination, with the Bush approval rating hovering in the 20s, Republican strategists put their heads together and decided the best course was to drag the party farther to the right…
Tweety says Mittens is ready to start running for president as soon as McCain loses this race
Huckabee to, maybe
Not a mufucker in that joint can keep a beat.
rnc: interview with someone from palmer AL. was that a neighbor of ET’s?
Goober up
No and I’m pretty confident the unfortunate totally screwed over people who are won’t be voting Republican.
Sure, as long as we keep the Sugar Mama Express on the ground as well.
saw a white male Repug holding up a sign “Real Americans”
as opposed to what, Alaskan separatists, maybe?
Liberal media, that strawman just keeps on giving.
That would be Palmer, AK if a neighbor of ET. AL is the code for Alabama.
Huckabee blaming the media for bringing the puke party together. Talking points have been digested.
His whole speech was pretty much projection.
Where did they get the information about Obama’s hotel room, even though mistaken? I assume they’ve all spent time in the slammer — which jails? Which prisons? Since they’re meth freaks, they’re in touch with the drug distribution world — so, who are their contacts in that area? For example, as part of a deal, have they ever worked as government informants? If so, who were there contacts? Who handled them?
Just a few questions…
Huckabee sez the “elite media’s” reporting is “tackier than a costume change at a Madonna concert.”
The Huckster is now shilling the McSame line…
Mittens undoubtedly hitchhiked to the convention.
The R convention seems all about the BIG LIE. Wonder if voters will fall for it.
It’s really hard to say “Vote for us. We screwed it up, but we know how to fix it.”
Russian Military Intelligence warned Washington that an Obama assassination plot was in the works — orchestrated by an Israeli General — and that white supremacists were to be the fall guys.
Little wonder that Rove appointee called off charges.
Huckleberry said European ideas will create more government. He doesn’t have much of an idea of where the ideas of Founding Fathers came from.
Huckleberry will lose the crowd with references to pop culture less than 30 years old.
FDR? Huck…? Freudian slip?
Many voters don’t want to have to think.
I’m wondering if Obama will be able to use this discrepancy to his advantage. I’m thinking Leahy and Conyers are not happy about it either.
I enjoyed watching Huck sing “Born to be wild” on YouTube more than I’m enjoying this speech…
finish the sentence “again”.
Re Troy Eid, the us aty in question — this from official CO website
. Before taking office as U.S. Attorney, he was a partner in the Denver branch of one of the world’s largest law firms, Greenberg Traurig.
Greenberg, traurig,,,,, hmmmmm. where do i know that name from ??
can you say jack abramoff?
No doubt. But for people who don’t believe in science…
McCain didn’t choose the easy path, such as keeping any plane that he flew airborne.
Country First or Alaska First?
“Knowing there was a good chance he might not come back”. Nonplussed, what’s the ratio of missions to shootdowns?
Eggsactly my point.
Huckleberry level of discourse sets the bar where the Republicans very low because the mental ability of the convention goers is low.
Oh, the POW bit now.
Oops. My bad. But no one here seems to have missed the point.
I had to step away from the TV. Did The Huckster say “maverick”?
A little tear jerker from Hucklberry. Where did Mike Huckleberry serve?
just foolin around
Huckleberry sez we have freedom. Guess he’s been asleep for past 8 years.
Olberman now correcting Huck’s speech. heh
Foolin’ back.
KO fact-checks the Huckster
He was a skilled pilot but unfortunately McCain flunked out before they could teach him how to land an airplane.
ok i give up but just in case you missed it
Re Troy Eid, the us aty in question — this from official CO website
. Before taking office as U.S. Attorney, he was a partner in the Denver branch of one of the world’s largest law firms, Greenberg Traurig.
Greenberg, traurig,,,,, hmmmmm. where do i know that name from ??
can you say jack abramoff?
niteall
Was McCain one of those guys who only wanted to know how to take off in an airplane?!
WANS (we are not surprised). Thanks for that & g’nite.
Well, it was his 23d mission.
“Sarah Palin will not try to reinvent herself during this campaign.”
In that case, she really is unprepared to take McCain’s place.
thanks for the correction!
I thought he flew only 20 hours in battle conditions. Does each mission last less than 1 hour? Or is the 20 hour tail wrong?
Nah, he was just too dumb to learn any more. When you try to pour a gallon of knowledge into a thimble for a brain, something is bound to spill out.
Make that tale, not tail. Wasn’t referring to tail hook.
Nah, that’s missions not hours. Take off, hit the target, return to the ship. Some could have taken an hour but most were probably longer.
So the 20 hour combat flying tale is wrong?
Don’t forget his 5 abortive flights also… Admirals son got special treatment.
John McCain’s capture and imprisonment began on October 26, 1967. He was flying his 23rd bombing mission over North Vietnam, when his A-4E Skyhawk was shot down by a missile over Hanoi.[31][32] McCain fractured both arms and a leg, and then nearly drowned, when he parachuted into Truc Bach Lake in Hanoi.[31]
From the wiki page. Let me also say again that it is pointless to try to minimize this aspect of his life. There are nutcases on the right that say he was a traitor and folks on the left that condemn him for dropping bombs on Vietnam.
He worked throughout his stay with three of Abramoff’s top cronies…although Jack himself left Greenberg Traurig just after Eid arrived. Ina addition Eid was a big rainmaker for the Bush-Cheney camapign, and his wife was appointed to the Colorado Supreme Court. There was some criticism of the confliucts of interest this could create, but his nomination went through.
Funny, I came home 39 years ago today and I never thought I’d still be arguing about this shit!
gotta say, as much as i don’t like mccain, flying all those missions takes guts. don’t think i, even at my very best, ever had that much courage.
doesn’t stop me from criticizing him though for not just dropping bombs, but never dealing with what that meant for the people he bombed.
people are complicated. not all black and white imo.
i’m ignorant raven. i regret that is so and i appreciate your efforts to educate me and all of us. thank you!
Glad you’re home. None of us would have thought this would still be going on.
WTF???? Russian intel??? Isreali handlers??? White supremacists ???
Do the link thing, please, when you toss such grenades.
I agree, he’s a total pig and he makes me sick playing this card over and over.
It’s late to say welcome home, but there it is. Glad you made it, sorry for the grief. It has been a very odd time span hasn’t it…seeing the murders of RFK and MLK…and all that followed. Peace.
8,588 fixed‐wing aircraft and helicopters wee lost between 1962 and 1973. Between March 1965 and November 1968 alone over 2 Million sorties were flown. U.S. military air crew losses totaled 4,302 by 1973. We did drop over 8 Million TONS of bombs, however. That was more ordinance than all sides combined dropped in WWII.
What’s the Israeli motto(?), “By deception we shall wage war.”
I suppose it’s clear Israelis haven’t had enough American blood and would rather we stay in Iraq for 100 years.
———-
Giuliani is giving some meat to the convention and they’re doing the ‘belittling’ thing to Obama. He’d better stay quiet and not get caught up in this small politics. There are larger things at issue. Remember, it’s not about him, it’s about the American people and the U.S.A.
America can’t afford to have our military wasted in Iraq.
America can’t afford to let Al Qaeda continue anywhere in the world.
America can’t afford our continued addiction to oil
America can’t afford Phil Gramm economics.
and so on.
The judgment to know the importance of these outweighs McCain’s experience as a POW.
but just because he’s a pig and i despise him – that doesn’t give me the right to criticize him in ways that are inaccurate or unfair.
thanks as always for reminding us about that.
When Mary Beth Williams and I first tripped on the oddities of Eid’s lobbying way back in spring of 2007 and bounced it around with Marcy, I never imagined that Eid would not have been removed from office by now.
But then I guess I was still mistaken about the degree of corruption our entire system of justice has undergone, or the potential magnitude of pain that could come from that corruption.
Wonder what other potential disasters lie ahead because of this administration’s complete and utter corruption?
Why can’t Federal charges be filed against these men?
If the FBI is protecting Obama and McCain then you would think federal charges would be involved.
I can’t help but think if it were reversed those guys would be charged under our terrorism laws and we would NEVER hear about them again.
One way ticket to _____________.?