A press release issued by U.S. Capitol Police public information officer Kimberly Schneider on February 1, 2006 under the title “Accountability” insinuates that Cindy Sheehan at some point engaged in some unspecified wrongful conduct, even as it acknowledges that she “should not have been confronted” about her t-shirt. Note the following paragraph from the press release (emphasis added):

As the Department reviewed the incident, it was determined that while officers acted in a manner consistent with the rules of decorum enforced by the Department in the House Gallery for years, neither Mrs. Sheehan’s manner of dress or initial conduct warranted law enforcement intervention. The USCP also asked Mrs. Beverly Young, to leave the gallery because of a T-shirt she was wearing. Mrs. Young did not return to the Gallery so there was no need for further police action. Neither guest should have been confronted about the expressive T-shirts.

1) The insertion of the word “initially” implies that at some point Cindy Sheehan did engage in conduct that warranted law enforcement intervention.

2) The remark that in the case of Mrs. Young, “there was no need for further police action” because she “did not return to the Gallery” does not adequately explain why she was treated so differently from Cindy Sheehan, who did not return to the Gallery, either.

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