Protester Lands Helicopter on US Capitol to Protest Corruption, Campaign Finance Laws
A protester upset at the role of of money in politics landed a small helicopter on the grounds of the US Capitol in an effort to bring attention to the issue.
The Tampa Times reports the protester is a 61-year-old postal worker from the town of Ruskin, FL, named Doug Hughes. Hughes landed his helicopter on the Capitol lawn in an effort to deliver a letter he wrote to every single member of the US Congress demanding changes to campaign finance laws that foster corruption.
Among the issues Hughes cites in his letter is the fact that the majority of America's largest corporations, such as GE, Boeing, Exxon Mobil, and Verizon, pay no taxes at all. Often times, these corporations even receive tax refunds.
Hughes also notes that around half of all the people who serve in Congress parlay that experience into a high-paying job as a lobbyist for corporate interests.
Hughes also points out that people on all sides of the political spectrum believe that these abuses must end.
He says that corporations are not people and that individuals should not be allowed to donate hundreds of millions of dollars to candidates. He also urged people to support a constitutional amendment to create proper campaign finance regulation.
After landing on the Capitol, Hughes was promptly arrested by the police. A friend of Hughes, who knew of the plan, Mike Shanahan, said he was afraid that Hughes would be shot out of the sky. To avoid this, Shanahan says he contacted security officials in Washington D.C. so that they knew Hughes was not a threat.
