Dear Friends,Leslie and I have returned to the DC Code Pink House. Impeachment has become a high priority for us for many reasons. We are still very concerned about Iran. If Bush and Cheney push to launch an attack, Congress would do nothing to stop them. Impeachment proceedings need to begin NOW to keep Bush from doing any more damage. It is Congress's constitutional duty to hold this administration accountable for its "high crimes and misdemeanors". Leslie will be meeting with Conyers and Pelosi ... one way or another ... to insist they put Impeachment on the table. We'll keep you posted ...
We also returned so we could be witnesses at our friends' trials ... Liz Hourican and Desiree Fairooz. As you may remember, Desiree approached Condoleezza Rice in the hearing room for the House Foreign Affairs Committee with her "blood" soaked hands and told Rice, "The blood of millions of Iraqis is on your hands!" This CNN clip (preceded by a brief commercial) shows it all: http://www.cnn. com/video/ #/video/politics /2007/10/ 25/moos.code. pink.cnn As they took Desiree away, she kept shouting, "War Criminal!" Then, with one last burst of courage, she yelled,"Take her to the Hague!"
Desiree's action came as a complete surprise to everyone, including CodePink. Congressman Lantos, the chair of the committee hearing, ordered the capitol police to �Take them all out of here.� They dragged out Liz and then Lori. Leslie and I headed for the hallway when we heard Liz screaming. Here's the footage I took of the police brutalizing Liz (one of the hardest things I've ever done): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgkuYJnYP4U
Desiree's trial has been postponed until April 2. Her attorney was granted a continuance to give him time to subpoena Condoleezza Rice. Liz's trial proceeded as scheduled. She was charged with numerous offenses, but all of them were dropped except for the disorderly conduct. The police report accused her of : 1) kicking three officers (untrue). 2) yelling at the committee members (untrue). 3) shouting "war criminal" (untrue). 4) and holding onto furniture as she was being dragged out of the room (untrue). Leslie and I were in the witness room when the officers gave their testimony. Our testimony refuted every one of the accusations. The prosecuting attorney looked a little sheepish when he and the judge viewed the C-SPAN footage submitted as evidence. This collaborated our story and showed how the police were completely out of control, especially Mark Sullivan.
CodePink has a good relationship with the capitol police. We greet many of them by name and some of the officers have even told us how much they appreciate what we're doing. There is one exception, however ... Captain Mark Sullivan. You can see him in the CNN video (above) dragging Liz from the room. Just today he gave Desiree "the finger" as he drove by in a police car. He has also harassed Leslie and others in the past. A formal complaint has been filed.
Getting back to Liz's trial ... Each attorney gave their closing arguments. I felt sorry for the prosecuting attorney, but not too sorry. He knew his case was lost, but he did his best to dance around the officer's false reports. The judge expressed "reasonable doubt" on all counts and Liz was acquitted! We exploded into the hallway and congratulated Liz and her attorney. It was a good day for justice!!
Peace and Freedom,
Jes & Leslie
PS Lori's day in court will be March 17, just 6 days after my trial.
Slideshow of CodePink at the Mukasey hearing Wednesday:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/codepinkalert/sets/72157603821981310/show/
Code Pink's Blog:
http://codepinkdc.blogspot.com/
Iranian Couple Bicycling Around the World:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/01/25/intv.iran.couple.bikes.for.peace.cnn
Wexler's Petition for Impeaching Cheney:
http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com/
What do Fainting Goats and the Congressional Democratic Leadership have in common?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns1- TLuPQ1Q
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