Man charged with threatening Bill Clinton.

[Johnboy60]

OKLAHOMA CITY - A man was accused Wednesday in an indictment of making threats against former President Clinton.

James L. Williford, 57, faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for allegedly making threatening remarks about Clinton at a chiropractic clinic in Edmond on July 12.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060720/ap_on_go_pr_wh/clinton_threat

 

[Arnold_Philips]

Williford denied threatening Clinton but said he believed Clinton was "a communist mole for the Red Chinese," the affidavit said.

Sounds like some people I've come to know here on CF.

 

[Defensor Fidei]

We are living in a virtual police state, it is certain. Who can you trust to speak your mind to in this day and age...?

 

[Ginny]

I've often wondered who is lurking behind the user name on this forum.....

Back on topic, wow the consequences for threatening the president are mighty big.

 

[Norseman]

Former presidents receive full presidential protection for 20 years after they've left office, though it may be for life, I don't recall exactly which. Either way, saying you're going to "bust a cap" in Clinton would be like saying you're planning to assassinate president Bush. You can expect the justice system to take it very, very seriously. I would be surprised if he didn't get the maximum prison sentence.

Who would want to be president if there's a chance that one wacko out of 300 million Americans decides to kill you, and the justice system does little or nothing to stop them?

 

[notto]

We are living in a virtual police state, it is certain. Who can you trust to speak your mind to in this day and age...?

You see no difference between threatening to shoot someone and speaking your mind?

That would certainly change many of the investigations into terrorists (and their arrests) if that were the case.

 

[Defensor Fidei]

Who would want to be president if there's a chance that one wacko out of 300 million Americans decides to kill you, and the justice system does little or nothing to stop them?

There is the same chance of that happening to the janitor who sweeps up the White House.

The U.S. president's life is not worth more than any other because of his money and power. What happened in this case is charging a man for precrime after being turned in by his own doctor for making such offhand comments. If it were not a powerful former government official he was referring to, the government would not care.

 

[Defensor Fidei]

You see no difference between threatening to shoot someone and speaking your mind?

I don't see how this constitutes a serious threat. Black rappers are the ones who usually talk about "busting a cap" into other people, but nobody takes them as serious threats.

That would certainly change many of the investigations into terrorists (and their arrests) if that were the case.

The matter of "terrorists" would have to be judged on a case-by-case basis.

 

[notto]

I don't see how this constitutes a serious threat. Black rappers are the ones who usually talk about "busting a cap" into other people, but nobody takes them as serious threats.

Tell that to Reagan, who was shot by a lunatic. Perhaps you don't see it as a serious threat by those investigating it seem to.

 

[Defensor Fidei]

Tell that to Reagan, who was shot by a lunatic. Perhaps you don't see it as a serious threat by those investigating it seem to.

Of course the federal government is going to try and protect its own demigods from the slightest possibility of criticism from the American people.

 

[Quantos]

Of course the federal government is going to try and protect its own demigods from the slightest possibility of criticism from the American people.

Ok, maby I'm misunderstanding you.
But are you saying that threating to assinate a former president is just criticism ?

 

[Defensor Fidei]

Ok, maby I'm misunderstanding you.
But are you saying that threating to assinate a former president is just criticism ?

Making a comment about "busting a cap" about a politician you disagree with to your doctor does not constitute a threat. There needs to be a lot more evidence than that for this "threat."

Unless there is something more this article is not telling us, it is ridiculous to take this so seriously. People often make figurative comments about killing when emotional which of course carry no real intentions.

 

[Quantos]

Making a comment about "busting a cap" about a politician you disagree with to your doctor does not constitute a threat. There needs to be a lot more evidence than that for this "threat."

Unless there is something more this article is not telling us, it is ridiculous to take this so seriously. People often make figurative comments about killing when emotional which of course carry no real intentions.

Ok. let me ask again sence you did not answer it.

It threating to assinate a former president is just criticism ?

 

[Norseman]

There is the same chance of that happening to the janitor who sweeps up the White House.

O rly? So the odds of a White House janitor being assassinated during their term are 4/43, and the odds of failed assassination attempts on White House janitors are 8/43? For a total of 12/43 odds (28% chance) of an assassination attempt being made on a White House janitor within an 8 year period? I don't think so.

The U.S. president's life is not worth more than any other because of his money and power.

I disagree, the president is the result of the democratic process. When a president is killed, and a vice president takes his place, the assassin was able to overrule the people's vote. Democracy in a republic is damaged every time there is an assassination of a president, or other elected official. It's important to national security that presidents be protected.

It's also important that the president cannot be intimidated by small groups of people. This is damaging to the democratic process as well, if someone can threaten the president and cause him to act differently because of it. Both this and the above give more power to violent and bloodthirsty people, exactly the kind of people who should have as little power as possible.

If you protect the president only while they are in office, the threat can be made while they're in office and carried out after they leave office. Presidents and their immediate family should be as safe from assassins as is possible. Presidents should not give extra credence to violent organizations. Again, these are the groups that should have the absolute minimum of influence in our government.

What happened in this case is charging a man for precrime...

As should be the case. Bush and future presidents should not fear people who threaten their lives.

...after being turned in by his own doctor for making such offhand comments.

The court will decide if it was an offhand comment or serious.

If it were not a powerful former government official he was referring to, the government would not care.

I'd give that a 50/50. It's not an issue of national security to protect random people, even from feeling threatened. Nonetheless, threats on people's lives are taken pretty seriously.

 

[Defensor Fidei]

Ok. let me ask again sence you did not answer it.

It threating to assinate a former president is just criticism ?

Yes, it is free speech. Unless there is evidence that the individual plans on carrying out the act.

 

[Quantos]

Yes, it is free speech. Unless there is evidence that the individual plans on carrying out the act.

 

[Norseman]

Seconded.

 

[Defensor Fidei]

O rly? So the odds of a White House janitor being assassinated during their term are 4/43, and the odds of failed assassination attempts on White House janitors are 8/43? For a total of 12/43 odds (28% chance) of an assassination attempt being made on a White House janitor within an 8 year period? I don't think so.

There is simply no possible way to formulate the odds for a "wacko" deciding to shoot someone. A fanatic could hate the president for firing him from a government job while he could hate the janitor for stepping on his foot as he walked by.

The percentages you mention could be nothing more than educated guesses. Are there are any percentages on other occupations that don't involve money and power?

I disagree, the president is the result of the democratic process. When a president is killed, and a vice president takes his place, the assassin was able to overrule the people's vote. Democracy in a republic is damaged every time there is an assassination of a president, or other elected official. It's important to national security that presidents be protected.

The institutions represent the people; the republic will live on. This is not the case if we resort to arresting people for crimes they did not commit.

If you protect the president only while they are in office, the threat can be made while they're in office and carried out after they leave office. Presidents and their immediate family should be as safe from assassins as is possible. Presidents should not give extra credence to violent organizations. Again, these are the groups that should have the absolute minimum of influence in our government.

What violent groups are involved here? This is one guy talking to his chiropractor.

As should be the case. Bush and future presidents should not fear people who threaten their lives.

Nobody should fear people who threaten their lives. Presidents are not a superior race.

I'd give that a 50/50. It's not an issue of national security to protect random people, even from feeling threatened. Nonetheless, threats on people's lives are taken pretty seriously.

L’État, c’est moi, I suppose presidents should say with regard to the stability of the state and the security of the nation...

 

[Quantos]

The percentages you mention could be nothing more than educated guesses. Are there are any percentages on other occupations that don't involve money and power?

LOL

There have been 4 out of 43 Presidnets assisanated (4/43) Odds
Abraham Lincoln,
James A. Garfield,
William McKinley
John F. Kennedy.

Thre have been 15 out of 43 Attempts (15/43)

• 1 Andrew Jackson
• 2 Abraham Lincoln
• 3 James A. Garfield
• 4 William McKinley
• 5 Theodore Roosevelt
• 6 Franklin D. Roosevelt
• 7 Harry S. Truman
• 8 John F. Kennedy
• 9 Richard M. Nixon
• 10 Gerald R. Ford
• 11 Jimmy Carter
• 12 Ronald Reagan
• 13 George H.W. Bush
• 14 Bill Clinton
• 15 George W. Bush

So there not an "educated guess", but historical facts.

 

[Defensor Fidei]

LOL
There have been 4 out of 43 Presidnets assisanated (4/43) Odds

That has absolutely no effect on the percent chance of one of America's nearly 300 million people today attempting to assassinate the president.

I overestimated the source of those statistics; they are not even educated guesses, but completely irrelevant historical facts.