Former ACLU Chapter President arrested

[JaJae]

ABC News: Former ACLU Chapter President Arrested for Child Pornography

Former ACLU Chapter President Arrested for Child Pornography
Complaint Alleges Virginia Man Accessed, Downloaded Graphic Child Pornography
By JACK DATE

Feb. 23, 2007— - Federal agents arrested Charles Rust-Tierney, the former president of the Virginia chapter of the ACLU, Friday in Arlington for allegedly possessing child pornography.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by ABC News, Rust-Tierney allegedly used his e-mail address and credit card to subscribe to and access a child pornography website.

The complaint states that federal investigations into child pornography websites revealed that "Charles Rust-Tierney has subscribed to multiple child pornography website over a period of years."

As recently as last October, the complaint alleges, "Rust-Tierney purchased access to a group of hardcore commercial child pornography websites."

Complaint Alleges Access to Graphic Material

Rust-Tierney admitted to investigators that he had downloaded videos and images from child pornography websites onto CD-ROMs, according to the complaint.

The videos described in the complaint depict graphic forcible intercourse with prepubescent females. One if the girls is described in court documents as being "seen and heard crying", another is described as being "bound by rope."

The investigation is being conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and the Arlington County Police as part of the Northern Virginia and District of Columbia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Rust-Tierney made an initial appearance in a federal court in Alexandria, VA, Friday. He is being detained pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday, February 28.

Youth Coach, Argued Against Restricting Public Internet

Rust Tierney coaches various youth sports teams in and around Arlington, Virginia, according to court documents.

In the past, Rust-Tierney had argued against restricting Internet access in public libraries in Virginia, writing, "Recognizing that individuals will continue to behave responsibly and appropriately while in the library, the default should be maximum, unrestricted access to the valuable resources of the Internet."

Calls to Rust-Tierney's home were not answered and calls to the ACLU of Virginia were not immediately returned.

Caught with underage porn of girls being raped!

What kind of an idiot uses their credit to sign up for a child pornography website? Not only that a chapter president of the ACLU. Some of the videos were of girls being tied up and raped... crying.

This is disgusting. The investigators who arrested him said it's some of the worst stuff they've seen shy of underage snuff films. This story could really hurt the credibility of the ACLU.

[motivez]

Why would it damage the credibility of the ACLU because one sicko happened to be a chapter President?

I don't see a thread about how that GOP donor being arrested on terror charges is going to really "damage the credibility" of the GOP? Is Mark Foley indicative of all Republicans who have come out in support of protecting children? Or Corrupt_Republican05 indicative of all anti-corruption Republicans?

I don't see how this has broad implications for the ACLU on a large scale honestly.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by motivez

Why would it damage the credibility of the ACLU because one sicko happened to be a chapter President?

I don't see a thread about how that GOP donor being arrested on terror charges is going to really "damage the credibility" of the GOP? Is Mark Foley indicative of all Republicans who have come out in support of protecting children? Or Corrupt_Republican05 indicative of all anti-corruption Republicans?

I don't see how this has broad implications for the ACLU on a large scale honestly.

Because it's going to hurt their reputation. If a Republican does something bad, there's the Democrats to go to if you like. If the ACLU does something bad you just don't have to donate to them anymore. This could be a big deal to some people with children.

[motivez]

As long as he's punished and denounced for his actions I don't see that happening really.

I think the people who are members of and donate to the ACLU do so because of the organization's broader mission for civil liberties, especially in times like this, where American citizens are held without access to habeus and other due process rights.. I don't see one screwed up chapter President changing that.

[Dumpy Dooby]

Originally Posted by motivez

Why would it damage the credibility of the ACLU because one sicko happened to be a chapter President?

I don't see a thread about how that GOP donor being arrested on terror charges is going to really "damage the credibility" of the GOP? Is Mark Foley indicative of all Republicans who have come out in support of protecting children? Or Corrupt_Republican05 indicative of all anti-corruption Republicans?

I don't see how this has broad implications for the ACLU on a large scale honestly.

My sentiments exactly. The ACLU has their faults, but they're really not so bad.

[Kytro]

I cannot see how this would reflect the values of the organization

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Kytro

I cannot see how this would reflect the values of the organization

It doesn't reflect on the values of the organization. It reflects on the organization itself. If the President of MADD got arrested for drunk driving people would think less of it. I think the same could be applied here to the ACLU. They work off donations. It's possible they could be hurt because of this. I'm not saying it's going to cripple them or even cause a significant issue with them, but it could hurt their reputation.

[Scrum]

Originally Posted by JaJae

It doesn't reflect on the values of the organization. It reflects on the organization itself. If the President of MADD got arrested for drunk driving people would think less of it. I think the same could be applied here to the ACLU. They work off donations. It's possible they could be hurt because of this. I'm not saying it's going to cripple them or even cause a significant issue with them, but it could hurt their reputation.

But the ACLU isn't like some childrens organization.

This is bad, but it's not like he was caught beating a minority.
It lacks the irony of Haggard or Foley.

[Kytro]

Originally Posted by JaJae

It doesn't reflect on the values of the organization. It reflects on the organization itself. If the President of MADD got arrested for drunk driving people would think less of it. I think the same could be applied here to the ACLU. They work off donations. It's possible they could be hurt because of this. I'm not saying it's going to cripple them or even cause a significant issue with them, but it could hurt their reputation.

Well it could damage their reputation, but only because some people don't tihnk things through.

It is most likely to provide a feeling of justification to opponets than turn people away from the organization, as they are not the serving president

[Scrum]

Originally Posted by Kytro

It is most likely to provide a feeling of justification to opponets than turn people away from the organization, as they are not the serving president

Nail on the head.

[Diamond Cross]

Yet when Foley resigned it was "all conservatives do it".


How forgiving liberals are of their own side.

[kinggovernor]

Originally Posted by motivez

Why would it damage the credibility of the ACLU because one sicko happened to be a chapter President?

I don't see a thread about how that GOP donor being arrested on terror charges is going to really "damage the credibility" of the GOP? Is Mark Foley indicative of all Republicans who have come out in support of protecting children? Or Corrupt_Republican05 indicative of all anti-corruption Republicans?

I don't see how this has broad implications for the ACLU on a large scale honestly.

I already responded to that thread

This hurts the ACLU

[hsmith]

freedom of speech

[7960]

Originally Posted by JaJae

ABC News: Former ACLU Chapter President Arrested for Child Pornography


Caught with underage porn of girls being raped!

What kind of an idiot uses their credit to sign up for a child pornography website? Not only that a chapter president of the ACLU. Some of the videos were of girls being tied up and raped... crying.

This is disgusting. The investigators who arrested him said it's some of the worst stuff they've seen shy of underage snuff films. This story could really hurt the credibility of the ACLU.

My guess, his defense is going to be that he bought the stuff and downloaded it for an investigation, and that it wasn't for his personal pleasure. And to back that claim he's going point to the fact that he used his email address and his CC because, I mean, he isn't dumb enough to do this in his name if he wasn't doing an investigation, right?

[kinggovernor]

Originally Posted by hsmith

freedom of speech

im in your schoolz coaching your kidz

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by 7960

My guess, his defense is going to be that he bought the stuff and downloaded it for an investigation, and that it wasn't for his personal pleasure. And to back that claim he's going point to the fact that he used his email address and his CC because, I mean, he isn't dumb enough to do this in his name if he wasn't doing an investigation, right?

I agree, but he would probably then have to prove he was doing an investigation of the site/s in question. Hopefully he has some paperwork to prove it.

[motivez]

The ACLU isn't a law enforcement agency and I don't think that even if he was doing an investigation it will shield him from the law in this case.

It's really not his place to perform some sort of investigation that requires downloads of kiddie porn even if that was what he was doing.

Again though I guarantee this isn't going to hurt the ACLU. The people who want to latch on to this as some kinda proof that the ACLU sucks or whatever were never going to be supporters of the organization in the first place.. so they wont have lost anything.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by motivez

The ACLU isn't a law enforcement agency and I don't think that even if he was doing an investigation it will shield him from the law in this case.

That's a good point.

[kinggovernor]

Originally Posted by motivez

The ACLU isn't a law enforcement agency and I don't think that even if he was doing an investigation it will shield him from the law in this case.

It's really not his place to perform some sort of investigation that requires downloads of kiddie porn even if that was what he was doing.

I think the guy from the Who made the same claim, it isn't going to fly

[Kytro]

Originally Posted by kinggovernor