Des Moines, IA – The Occupy the Caucus Campaign took their message back to the Democratic National Committee’s “War Room” this afternoon. Twice yesterday they were turned away requesting a meeting with Rep. Debbie Wassermann Schultz, Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee, to discuss getting corporate money out of politics. Today, the protesters staged a “die in” to show how corporate money in politics is killing the United States democracy.
In response the Democrats, just like the Republicans, hid in a second floor room, locked the doors, and called police to have demonstrators removed from the premises. Twelve brave patriots stood their ground and demanded to be heard. The DNC staff had them arrested and removed.
The Democrats and Republicans have shown this week that they are more interested in the agenda of Wall Street and other corporations than in hearing the voices of the people who elected them. The Democratic National Committee’s largest donors include Wall Street firms and large banks, like Goldman Sachs, Capital Group Companies, a large investment management firm, Citigroup, and Grosvenor Capital Management, one of the world’s largest hedge funds according to opensecrets.org.
And now with President Barack Obama signing the NDAA and saber rattling at Iran, the government is making another attempt to shift focus from the people’s agenda. The real national security threat is not from peaceful protesters and foreign powers. The real threat to our national security is Wall Street and the corporate crooks who crashed our economy.
Arrested outside the DNC “War Room”:
Daniel Bragg, 33, Newton
Kaylynn Strain, 45, Des Moines, Iowa
Jessica Reznicek, age unknown, Des Moines, Iowa
Perry Graham, 23, Eugene, OR
Eric Hedberg, 55, Des Moines, Iowa
Jean Nosich, 63, Ames, Iowa
David Duncan, 21, Lawrence, KS
Frank Cordaro, 60, Des Moines, Iowa
Shannon Middleton, age unknown, Lawrence, KS
Leslie J. Davis, 63, Marshalltown, Iowa
Kristen Messina, 21, Dickinson, TX
Brian Latimer, 28, Des Moines, Iowa