bruce-dougAs you may recall, last month bad boy Republican Douglas Bruce was detained and ticketed by police at a Costco in his hometown, Colorado Springs, where he collected signatures on a petition against “illegal taxes” (or, in the words of the major newspapers opposing the measure: “It would prevent Colorado Springs Utilities and other city-owned enterprises from voluntarily transferring funds to help defray costs they impose on our city—for things such as police and fire services, road maintenance, legal services, etc.”). Bruce had refused requests to leave, and police concluded he was trespassing. Yesterday, some good news came for Bruce when the charge was dropped. Colorado Springs Municipal Judge Spencer A. Gresham found the officer incorrectly changed the date on the ticket–a technicality, writes the Colorado Springs Gazette. But what seemed a victory was short-lived. After Gresham dismissed the case for Bruce and an associate, Douglas Stinehagen, who was collecting signatures with Bruce at Costco, the arresting officer and a sergeant entered the courtroom and issued new tickets with a new court date–October 14. Bruce protested, demanding that the charges be dismissed with “prejudice,” meaning the city would be unable to pursue charges since the case was technically dismissed. But Gresham sided with police. Now Bruce will have to argue his case in mid-October, a distraction for him as voters start to receive their mail-in ballots for Issue 300, the initiative he and Stinehagen are petitioning for.