Bush critics receive additional charge in criminal case

Brian Hudson
Gatehouse News Service
Wednesday July 18, 2007

Wheaton, IL -
Two DuPage County residents who were charged in May for disorderly conduct after hanging a protest banner on a bridge above the I-355 tollway now are facing additional misdemeanor charges of reckless conduct and unauthorized display of a sign on a highway.

The charges were filed Monday as a result of the county’s ongoing investigation, said Paul Darrah, spokesman for the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office.

Jeff Zurawski, 39, of Downers Grove and Sara Hartfield, 45, of Naperville posted a 12-by-4-foot sign calling for President Bush’s impeachment on a bridge over the tollway May 6 along with an upside-down U.S. flag. Police received reports that rocks were being hurled onto cars below — reports which Zurawski has denied.

The banner read: “IMPEACH Bush and Cheney — LIARS.” Flying the flag upside down, a traditional symbol for distress, was meant to represent their concern about the state of national politics.

Although one of the charges — unauthorized display of a sign on a highway — stems directly from displaying the banner and flag, Darrah said the inherent political message was not a motivation for the additional count.

Action would have been taken against any banner interfering with a highway, he said, “be the banner an American flag or anything.”

The reckless conduct charge comes from the allegations of rock throwing.

The initial misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct could result in up to 30 days in jail, Darrah said. The latest misdemeanors could bring up to one year. The case will next go before a judge Monday, July 30, to set a date for the jury trial.