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March 30, 2007 at 10:46:07

Democrats Harrassed by Capitol Police

by Wayne Madsen Page 1 of 1 page(s)

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Whenever a Democratic member of Congress is reported to have trouble with the US Capitol Police one can be assured that one person is always involved -- Terrance Gainer, the Republican former Chief of the Capitol Police and Harry Reid's mortifying pick as Senate Sergeant-at-Arms. In March 2006, Gainer, who was embroiled in a nepotism scandal, defended his police force after a scuffle ensued between a US Capitol cop and then-Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA).

Our sources on the Hill said that McKinney was targeted by Gainer and the Republican leadership in a ploy to embarrass her. The incident was referred to the US Attorney for the District of Columbia rather than handled internally. Shortly after Gainer resigned as chief, Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) was involved in a minor automobile accident on Capitol Hill. Gainer weighed in again and suggested that Kennedy should have been given a sobriety test by the Capitol cops.

Now, we have the case of Phillip Thompson, executive assistant to Virginia Democratic Senator Jim Webb, who was arrested Monday by the Capitol Police at the Russell Senate Office Building for carrying a loaded pistol allegedly given to him by Webb. The Capitol Police enforced a DC law that prohibits anyone other than law enforcement officers from carrying weapons in the District. Webb said he has a license to carry a concealed weapon in Virginia and Thompson, an ex-Marine, inadvertently carried the weapon into the building after dropping Webb off at the airport.

However, the US Capitol Police jumped into Democrat-bashing mode when one spokesman said he had never heard of a member of Congress carrying a concealed weapon. The Capitol Police are partially overseen by the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms -- Terrance Gainer. A former Chicago cop, whose rookie year included clubbing demonstrators over their heads at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, later went on to run the Illinois State Police. Former Governor George Ryan cited Illinois state police misconduct when he commuted the death sentences of Illinois' death row population.

Rather than extend professional courtesy to Webb and Thompson, the Capitol Police, a quasi-GOP Gestapo, threw the book at Thompson. Details of the incident were leaked by the cops to Fox News and other neo-con outlets, as what also occurred with McKinney and Kennedy. Weapons are carried into the Congress every day by security personnel for Pentagon and other Cabinet officials, intelligence agency heads, Governors of states, ambassadors, and foreign heads of state, including one of the most recent visitors -- King Abdullah of Jordan.

One question for the Democrats -- why does the Capitol Police grant weapons carrying privileges to Jordanians when they do not extend the same courtesy to Americans helping to protect a U.S. Senator? Perhaps a Democratic Senate Sergeant-at-Arms will clear up this idiocy.

http://www.waynemadsenreport.com

For more, visit Wayne Madsen Report, which its publisher, Wayne Madsen, keeps refreshed with more news than any one reporter has a right to.

Wayne Madsen is an investigative journalist, nationally distributed columnist, and author who has covered Washington, DC, politics, national security, and intelligence issues since 1994. He has written for The Village Voice, The Progressive, CAQ, Counterpunch, and the Intelligence Newsletter (based in Paris).

Look for his new book, Overthrow a Fascist Regime on $15 a Day: The Internet Irregulars vs. The Powers That Be!, in the fall.

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2 comments

The author lives in a small village in central Europe and has been active in the local workers movement for nearly 3 decades.

Globalism knows no borders, why should we ?
Tony ForestThe author lives in a small village in central Europe and has been active in the local workers movement for nearly 3 decades.

Globalism knows no borders, why should we ?

Live by the sword

die by the sword. Wayne, are you trying to tell us that this guy (click on the picture for an enlargement so you can see the seriousness in Pelosi's face !) was carrying a piece with him ?

I find this very hard to believe. Security guards carry loaded weapons. Okay. Policement do too. An occassional fool will as well. But when I read your article here, my imagination runs wild with ....well, killings and blood and all : in the Senate ! Red on white, just as it was in Rome, except we're talking about small firearms here.

I don't see King Abdullah wearing traditional clothing and toting a traditional sword....so if what you say is true, he's carrying a piece.

Any proof of this, Wayne ?

by Tony Forest (6 articles, 14 quicklinks, 148 diaries, 1335 comments) on Saturday, March 31, 2007 at 2:32:24 AM

While we wait

for an answer which may never come....add the following to the discussion ;

The NRA sees Democrats as "Gun-Shy Liberals". At least they got off on this NRO article by one Jonah Goldberg.

In 1997 in a row over a dog being brought onto the Senate floor....the Resolution to....

"allow disabled persons or Senate employees seeking access to the Senate floor the ability to bring what supporting services are necessary for them to execute their official duties."

was submitted by Mr.s Kerry, Wyden, Reid, Wellstone, Murkowski, and Bryan. U.S. Senators Scramble for Cover

Keeping your arse alive can be considered as "necessary for them to execute their official duties."

This whole story is fishy. Isn't it the 'good-old-boy" fraction that's trying like hell to make changes to standing gun control laws in DC ? Ah, I get it, I've forgotten there is no huge difference between the reps and the dems. Good-old-boys can be found on both sides.

Webb's aide, Thompson had the weapon, not Webb. Was King Abdullah carrying a piece or was it his aide, or aides ? Hell, that would be an even larger breech of sanity : to allow King Abdullah and three armed Jordanian aides to march right in and make themselves comfy ...with loaded friearms !

Somewhere, a few minutes ago, I read in an article where one Senator says something to the extent of "these are dangerous days for members of Congress". So we have members of Congress arming themselves...and their aides....for protection. Protection against what ? One another ? Are we that far already ? An armed revolution right here in D fucking C ? And how is it that some people in our Govt. trust the King of Jordan more than they trust a US Senator and/or his assistant ? Sounds like intrigue to me. It also reaks of a manouver to "catapult the propaganda" of the ongoing disputes over the second amendment, federal rulings and how they apply to the District.

by Tony Forest (6 articles, 14 quicklinks, 148 diaries, 1335 comments) on Saturday, March 31, 2007 at 4:22:26 AM