Were Capitol Police told not to arrest possibly non-existent Anti-War Vandals? No.

[ck4829]

In its coverage of an incident from the January 27 anti-Iraq war protest on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in which a group of protesters reportedly spray-painted graffiti on the steps of the Capitol, The Washington Times has propagated claims that the United States Capitol Police were ordered not to arrest protesters on the Capitol steps, and that the order came from the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). However, Capitol Police chief Phillip D. Morse Sr. has since refuted that claim, noting in an official statement released January 31 that no order was given not to arrest protesters, that the Capitol Police did not see the vandalism take place, that they would have arrested anyone they saw spray-painting, and that all decisions were made "without consultation or influence by any Member of Congress." The Times has yet to report the Capitol Police chief's statement flatly refuting all allegations against the Capitol Police and Pelosi.

The Hill, which first reported the allegation that the Capitol Police were ordered not to arrest protesters on the Capitol steps, noted Morse's statement on February 1.

A January 28 Hill article by Jackie Kucinich reported that "anti-war protesters were allowed to spray paint on part of the west front steps of the United States Capitol building after police were ordered to break their security line by their leadership." The article cited two anonymous sources who allegedly witnessed the incident, but the article offered no indication as to what relationship the sources had to the protest or the Capitol Police.

Citing The Hill's January 28 article, the conservative Family Research Council issued a January 29 "Alert" suggesting that Pelosi may have had a role in the Capitol Police's alleged order not to confront the protesters (And it has mushroomed, going to the American Family Association and then going to RW Blogs who came up with the oh so brilliant idea of hassling the police).

http://mediamatters.org/items/200702020019

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. And rest assured that

the refutation of this obvious lie will never be printed in the Times nor will the blogs do anything but perpetuate it. And if any DUer gets into a debate with a freeper on the subject, the freeper will say that the Capitol Police are a bunch of liberals or that they fear for their lives because Pelosi is so mean.

[Hissyspit]

2. EVEN IF any of this were true - and its not - it ALL misses the big point:

There were a 1/4 million plus or minus Americans marching around the U.S. Capitol demanding an end to the insanity. 1/4 million plus or minus Americans who left their homes, and traveled over many states to demand redress. Many who agree with them were not there for various reasons.

Pissed off over a little non-existent vandalism? Annoyed Jane Fonda was there? All of that is smokescreen; it attempts to ignore what REALLY happened. Hundreds of thousands of Americans took to the streets to say "We don't buy the bullshit. Stop the war. NOW. Impeach Bush and Cheney."

I was there. I didn't see any spitting. I didn't see any clubs. I didn't see any spray-painting. I DID see people who were mad and disgusted. And they were mad and disgusted about the correct things.

[bananas]

3. k&r - house and cough-cough smokers rights are more important

oi vay.

[bananas]

4. Welcome to the American dream....dream up whatever you want ...

Welcome to the American dream....dream up whatever you want, print it, and watch it grow by leaps and bounds as other media factions nuture and pamper it....I am so sick of this type of 'reporting'- the right wing spin machine needs to be unplugged, taken out into an alley, and beaten with aluminum bats until it is unrecognizable and unable to begin running again...
- mr. l / Friday February 2, 2007 05:33:07 PM EST
http://mediamatters.org/items/200702020019

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. So, Dennis Kucinich's daughter lied?

:shrug: