Nugent says he's insulted by concert cancellation

Musician Ted Nugent performs at 'Rockin' The Corps An American Thank You Celebration Concert' at Camp Pendleton on April 1, 2005 in San Diego, California. / Kevin Winter/Getty Images

(AP) LOS ANGELES - Ted Nugent said he was insulted by the cancellation of his planned concert at an Army post over his comments about President Obama.

Commanders at the Fort Knox, Ky., post nixed Nugent's segment of a June concert after the rocker and conservative activist said at a recent National Rifle Association meeting that he would be "dead or in jail by this time next year" if Obama is re-elected.

Nugent told The Associated Press this week that his words were not intended as a threat against the president.

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"To think that there's a bureaucrat in the United States Army that would consider the use or abuse of First Amendment rights in determining who is going to perform at an Army base is an insult and defiles the sacrifices of those heroes who fought for the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights," Nugent said.

Nugent said he had received messages of support from troops and noted that the Secret Service had met with him and closed its case about the remarks.

"There is nothing in my spoken word or written word that could be even wildly considered by any stretch of the imagination to be a threat to anyone," Nugent said.

Asked to clarify the remarks at the NRA convention, Nugent said: "A whole bunch of us ... believe ... we are in danger of being improperly and criminally jailed — I mean criminally on the part of the government."

Earlier in the week, Nugent pleaded guilty to transporting a black bear he illegally killed in Alaska, saying he was sorry for unwittingly violating the law.

He told the AP that he advises fellow hunters, "even when you are aghast at a maniac, inexplicable, illogical law, please abide by those laws at all costs."

Nugent said the prosecution in U.S. District Court was the result of a "witch hunt" by federal officials over his activism.

"We the people are turning up the heat," he said. "And that's why I'm being singled out by certain fish and game agencies and certain U.S. attorneys."

An email sent to Karen Loeffler, the U.S. attorney for Alaska, and Jack Schmidt, the assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted Nugent this week in Ketchikan, Alaska, was not immediately returned.

[stuwerb]

He's no longer Ted Nugent. Now he's become Ted Mutant.

[hush_puppy]

Simply as rich idiot with money who can buy his way out of the law most of us must follow.

[mac82059]

Ted = pedophile, draft dodger and all around moron. Nice role model for the NRA and Tea Party....

[robert1129]

Free speech is one thing but slander is quite another. Nugent knew, or should have known, that his mouth rants would have consequences. Or perhaps his entourage convinced him that he was infallable?

[username751]

The story here should be a scientific one, that fossils can share knowledge, no matter how stupid.

[taxchurches]

Nugent said: "A whole bunch of us ... believe ... we are in danger of being improperly and criminally jailed — I mean criminally on the part of the government."

Should have said: "A whole bunch of us...choose to pretend to believe for no apparent reason and with no evidence whatsoever...etc." Typical paranoid NRA BS.

[madjek]

ted do-do-gent

[verrz]

Another rocker down to his last inch of top soil from decades of drug abuse... Maybe he should run as Tea Party candidate!

[stevex47]

He said he'd be dead or in jail? Why jail? What law's is he planning on breaking?

Law breaking, wreckless gun freak, zero IQ. Perfect NRA spokesperson.

[folma7]

Well, well! How quickly we abandon the oars on our sacred vessel---"FREEDOM OF SPEECH--. When we called President Bush "NAZI", and Def Secretary Cheney, "BABYKILLER", and all the while being held up by our friends and allies as heroes, it was expected the same treatment would be meted out to us if the opposition saw our people falter...and falter they have. But no! As spoiled little children here we sit whining over the oppositions words. WORDS!!! A few words is all it takes?? During the sixties we chanted, "Words and ideas can't harm anyone! " "Listen to our ideas....open up!!" Mr. Nugent has every right to espouse his political beliefs---ESPECIALLY IF WE DISAGREE!!!----. We demanded, and got the same. He has every right to speak, although he must contend with no right whatsoever to be HEARD! If we don't like it....so what? Don't listen

[Rafterman11]

Calling the president Nazi or baby killer (Obama has been called worse by the right wing) is not the same as advocating violence against the president. When someone did that to Bush, there were investigated too.

[PLO1122]

@ Rafterman11 - There are things worse than being called a Nazi or baby-killer?