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thedrifter
04-14-08, 03:24 PM
Republicans Propose $3 Million Penalty For Berkeley Over Marine Flap

UPDATED: 10:27 am PDT April 14, 2008

BERKELEY, Calif. -- A bill punishing the City of Berkeley for its "anti-Marine" actions is scheduled to come up for a hearing and a vote Monday afternoon before the Assembly Transportation Committee at the Capitol.

Bay Area Assemblyman Guy Houston's measure would suspend $3 million in transportation funds slated for Berkeley.

The money is usually spent to fix potholes and other road problems, NBC11's Mike Luery reported.

Scores of activists have poured into the city for protests in recent months as the City Council prepared to consider rescinding a letter it drafted to the recruiting center telling Marines they were not welcome in the city.

The letter said the Marines at the recruiting office were "uninvited and unwelcome guests."

The letter was never sent.

The city has gained widespread criticism for designating a parking spot for the anti-war activist group Code Pink directly in front of a Marine recruiting station in downtown Berkeley.

Houston has said the parking designation limits the public right of way and is discriminatory because only one group is allowed to park there.

The Republican Assemblyman will hold a news conference at the Capitol with retired Marines and the group Blue Star Moms.

"What they have done in Berkeley is they have set aside a parking spot and in my opinion a public right of way, a public transportation corridor, specifically for a private organization -- in this case Code Pink -- to harass and annoy the United States Marine Corps and their recruiting efforts," said Houston. "We think that playing around and having an agenda with the public right of way is subject to ramifications. There is $2.3 million in proposition 1B transportation dollars. We think that should be in jeopardy."

In a series of widely publicized protests, Move America Forward demonstrators waved flags and held signs including "Boycott Berkeley for Bashing Our Boys" and "Support our Troops."

On the other side, protesters with Code Pink held bouquets of flowers and waved signs saying "Peace Now" and "Bring Our Troops Home."

Code Pink members have made their organization infamous by intentionally getting arrested at protests and congressional hearings.

The recruiting office opened in Berkeley in late 2006. It operated quietly until four months ago when Code Pink began holding regular protests.

Ellie