Presidential Candidates Arrested In St. Louis

The Associated Press reports that Libertarian Party presidential candidate Michael Badnarik and Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb were arrested Friday night in St. Louis after pushing through a line of police officers preventing entry to the televised presidential debate between President Bush and Kerry.

According to the Associated Press Cobb's intent was "to expose the undemocratic nature of these debate, this election and our government. These are not debates, these are infomercials."

The Badnarik campaign issued a press release Friday saying Badnarik will debate Kerry and Bush in St. Louis on Friday, or he’ll go to jail instead:

“A majority of Americans say that I should be included in the events sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates,” says Badnarik, 50, of Austin, Texas. “And the CPD, as a non-profit, has received special treatment from government on the requirement that they be non-partisan in their activities. Bi-partisan is not non-partisan.

Unless I am allowed to participate, the debates become a massive campaign contribution to two of the candidates, illegal under the very campaign finance laws those two candidates have passed and signed as Senator and President.

Badnarik is on the ballot in 48 states and the District of Columbia.