Mona Shaw, Kirk Brown, Ed Bloomer and Chet Guinn outside the Polk County Courthouse.

Methodist minister Chet Guinn, 80, as well as three Des Moines Catholic Workers, Edward Bloomer, 61, Kirk Brown, 25, and Mona Shaw, 57, were arrested at the Wakonda Country Club where Rove was scheduled to speak at a Republican Party fundraiser.They accused him of felony murder, election fraud, conspiracy to commit offense or defraud the United States leading to the war in Iraq, as well as treason, sedition and subversive activities.

Sally Frank, attorney for the defendants, said in court that she will file a motion to set aside the verdict and that the verdict will be appealed if the motion is denied.

Judge Colin Witt sentenced three of the defendants to the minimum $65 fine plus court costs. The fourth, Brown, said he could not in conscience pay the fine and was sentenced to one day in jail instead.

Former White House adviser Karl Rove

Two members of the group attempted to make a citizen’s arrest of Rove when he visited the University of Iowa in March and were subsequently removed from the hall by university police.

This time around, Rove is speaking at the Wakonda Country Club on Des Moines’ south side, and the Catholic Workers will once again attempt to arrest Rove for war crimes, sedition, felony murder and treason. They are planning on gathering en masse outside the club’s entrance on Fleur Drive at 11:45 a.m., with Rove scheduled to speak at noon.

The program, which is the main fund-raising source for the RPI’s voter turnout program, costs $100 for lunch and $1,000 for a reception with Rove. According to an RPI spokesman, there will be no media allowed into the event and no availability with Rove after he has finished his speech.