A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Cindy Sheehan
Dear Friends,
I just saw the below "apology" on MichaelMoore.com...thanks Eric!
This is the biggest crock of horse manure ever.
Everyone is saying how "wonderful" it is that they apologized to me.
Look at a few things they said: My "initial" conduct wasn't enough to warrant me getting arrested.
None of my conduct was. I didn't yell at the officer, or call anyone an "idiot" like Mrs. Young did.
Secondly, it states the Mrs. Young wasn't arrested because she didn't "return to the gallery."
Why did they arrest me? They didn't even give me the opportunity to leave the gallery.
They had fours hours to figure out that I didn't do anything wrong. The Capitol police tried the tactic of smearing me and lying about me when I was in jail to the media. I guess they didn't count on the Reuter's reporter who was sitting right next to me.
They also started lying about me when I was in jail, I heard a female officer say "She took off her jacket and threw it." And Mike Weight, who arrested me, said I "stood up and started yelling something."
The Capitol police could not support their lies, that's why they apologized.
That's the only reason.
Love,
Me
* * *
The United States Capitol Police will request that the U.S. Attorney's Office not pursue the charge against Cindy Lee Sheehan who was arrested Tuesday Night before the President's State of the Union address.
Mrs. Sheehan was charged Tuesday night with Unlawful Conduct after she displayed a T-shirt with an anti-war message while in the House Gallery. Subsequently she was arrested and transported to USCP Headquarters for processing.
As the Department reviewed the incident, it was determined that while officers acted in a manner consistent with the rules of decorum enforced by the Department in the House Gallery for years, neither Mrs. Sheehan's manner of dress or initial conduct warranted law enforcement intervention. The USCP also asked Mrs. Beverly Young, to leave the gallery because of a T-shirt she was wearing. Mrs. Young did not return to the Gallery so there was no need for further police action. Neither guest should have been confronted about the expressive T-shirts.
"The officers made a good faith, but mistaken effort to enforce an old unwritten interpretation of the prohibitions about demonstrating in the Capitol. The policy and procedures were too vague," said Chief Terrance W. Gainer. "The failure to adequately prepare the officers is mine."
Chief Gainer met with Chairman Young and his wife to both apologize and share the Department's plans for avoiding this in the future. A similar message has been left with Mrs. Sheehan.
The Department will work with the House Sergeant at Arms to clarify the rules of the House, and ensure that officers clearly understand the rules.
If you have any questions or concerns pertaining to this release please contact the United States Capitol Police Public Information Office at 202-224-1677.
* * * * * *
Prepared by:
Sergeant Kimberly Schneider
United States Capitol Police
Public Information Officer
A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
Also read: "What Really Happened at the State of the Union," February 1, 2006
Cindy Sheehan is the founder the Camp Casey Peace Foundation, a co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace www.gsfp.org and the author of Not One More Mothers Child available from BuzzFlash and at www.koabooks.com
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