Washington

Associated Press: Local lawmakers fight to keep Guantanamo detainees out of CO

February 4, 2009—From the article: Lamborn said moving them to Supermax is a security threat, mainly to employees and the Florence community. “These are some of the most dangerous people on the face of the planet,” he said. “And to have them in our community when many of them are sworn to kill Americans whenever and wherever they can is just not a good idea from a security standpoint.”

The Gazette: Lamborn wants Supermax off-limits to Gitmo inmates

February 4, 2009—From the article: U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn has introduced a bill to bar the transfer of detainees from the Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the Supermax federal prison in Florence.…Lamborn and others are concerned that the presence of war-on-terrorism captives in Florence, 40 miles south of Colorado Springs, would pose a security risk to the surrounding area.  

The Rocky Mountain News: Lamborn offers bill to keep Gitmo detainees from coming to Colorado

February 3, 2009—From the article:  "I think it would be a mistake to bring anyone from Guantanamo to the United States at all," said Lamborn.  He noted that the Supermax prison is close to maximum capacity with perhaps space for one more bed. "There are 245 hardcore terrorists in Guantanamo," said Lamborn. "When you put them in Supermax or a Bureau of Prisons facility, you're crowding out space to our domestic criminals. It would be one less secure space for a domestic criminal who would be relegated to a less secure facility."

Cañon City Daily Record: Congressman to Obama: Don’t house suspected terrorists in Supermax

January 30, 2009—From the article:  In 2007, penitentiaries operated at 55 percent above capacity. Lamborn said the penitentiary in Florence is operating at 165 percent of capacity. “If we crowd out scarce beds for enemy combatants, who were apprehended on the battlefields, where are we going to keep our worst domestic criminals?” Lamborn said during a telephone interview Wednesday afternoon. “Terrorists are a completely different class of criminal.”

Congressman Lamborn’s introduced, H.R. 794, To prohibit the use of funds to transfer enemy combatants detained by the United States at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the Florence Federal Correctional Complex in Colorado, or to construct facilities for such enemy combatants at such location.  To see a copy of this legislation, click here.