Anti-war protesters jam hearing

[babylonsister]

I noticed USAT forgot to mention the good Rev's ankle was broken by the neanderthals who tackled him.


http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070911/a_protests11.art.htm

Anti-war protesters jam hearing

By Ken Dilanian and Matt Kelley
USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Anti-war protesters, some dressed in one group's trademark hot-pink clothing, repeatedly interrupted Monday's congressional hearing on Iraq with shouted slogans, prompting the chairman to order them forcibly removed.

"Swear 'em in," shouted one activist, former CIA officer Ray McGovern, before he was grabbed by U.S. Capitol Police and escorted out of the cavernous, gild-encrusted caucus room in the Cannon House Office Building.

At least eight people were arrested overall — including Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq who has become a prominent anti-war activist.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, who chaired the hearing, threatened prosecution as one protester after another stood up and shouted. They were perched in the back of the room in a small gallery reserved for the public.

"This is intolerable!" the Missouri Democrat snapped at one point.

Sheehan was one of four people who were charged with disorderly conduct at around 12:30 p.m., said Capitol Police spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider.

Lennox Yearwood Jr., a minister and founder of the youth political group Hip Hop Caucus (H2C), also was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and assault on a police officer.

Schneider said Yearwood was detained after refusing to move to the end of the line of people waiting to enter the hearing room. Yearwood was "football tackled" by six officers, H2C spokeswoman Liz Havstad said.

About two hours later, Capitol Police arrested four members of Code Pink: Women for Peace on charges of unlawful conduct, Schneider said. The group's members often attend Iraq hearings dressed in pink and heckle speakers.

"These are people who don't want to see any more dog-and-pony shows, any more coverups of the situation in Iraq," said Gael Murphy, a Code Pink spokeswoman.

[fasttense]

1. Oh, citizen activists he'll prosecute but

lying to congress, and ignoring subpoenas that's quite ok.

"House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, who chaired the hearing, threatened prosecution."

[babylonsister]

2. The NYT's editorial even took issue with that; see last para. here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1780750&mesg_id=1780750