February 22, 2011 08:18 PM UTC

Dueling Rallies Today, "Tea Party" Sans Permit

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE #3: Lynn Bartels reports, none other than Gregory Golyansky of Ken Buck campaign infamy spoke at the “Tea Party” rally. Where he proceeded to embarrass them all! Said Golyansky: “These people are storm troopers of communism. We must defeat them. I never realized there was that much scum on government payrolls.”

According to Bartels, this was a bit much, even for the Shawn Mitchells of the world.

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UPDATE #2: From the “Tea Party” counterrally:

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UPDATE: From FOX 31’s Eli Stokols (below) and Rep. Mark Ferrandino (below right):

Reporter Lynn Bartels of the Denver paper writes this morning about two rallies coming up at the Capitol today, both supporting and opposed to the actions of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to curtail collective bargaining rights for that state’s employees.

At noon, the AFL-CIO and friends will gather on the steps of the Capitol for a rally in support of public employees in Wisconsin. We’ve heard about some tension among different pro-labor sides; some of whom want to basically turn the event into an attack on Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper’s recently proposed budget, versus others who consider likening the standoff in Wisconsin with anything Hickenlooper has proposed to be ridiculous and counterproductive. We do expect to hear a strong call for a ballot initiative to unwind Colorado’s ongoing fiscal problems, and for Hickenlooper to put on his parachute and work his ingratiating magic to help pass it.

The Examiner picks up the story on the counter-demonstration being organized by Jeff Crank and the Colorado chapter of Americans for Prosperity:

An article on the Denver Post’s blog “The Spot” says they received an email with the subject line “Stand Up Against Union Thuggery in Denver this Tuesday” from Jeff Crank, a conservative talk radio host and state director of the group…

The New York Times reports that the Virginia-based “Americans For Propserity” is funded by billionaire brothers Charles G. and David H. Koch, who also were large contributors to the Gov. Walker election campaign.

While the pro-union forces have obtained a permit for their rally, the anti-union group does not, according to the Post, and therefore will be restricted to holding their protest on the sidewalk. They will gather on the Lincoln Street side of the Capital.

Despite referring to union officials as “thugs”, the Post reports that Crank has asked those who attend on his group’s behalf to refrain from being confrontational and disruptive.