Thelma Drake (VA-02) had veterans kicked out and arrested in front of her office!

[beachmom]

This is just unbelieveable -- these people showed up (they were from Moveon.org) to deliver a petition and letter to my local congressional office here in Virginia Beach. The staff knew they were coming, and locked the doors, called the police, had them kicked out -- one veteran, who sat quietly, saying he was waiting for Rep. Drake, got arrested!! What is this? You can't even go to the local congressional office and deliver a petition? One guy was an Iraq veteran.

Info here:

http://www.shadownorfolk.com/

10 of us assembled peacefully in the parking lot several yards away from the office before 12 noon--no one in the office could possibly have seen our "demeanor" from that distance, which was peaceful. A man claiming to be the land lord was there in a flash, blocking part of the lot with his big Mercedes even before we could all walk across the lot to the door, as tho. he were waiting for us. They obviously knew ahead of time. We think one of the office staff is on the Move On e-mail list. He was hostile and disrespectful to William, a six-year Vet who has served in Iraq. (William was one of the group.)

snip

They twist the facts to suit their own agenda & hide the fact they weren't doing their job which is to be available to their constituents. They forget who pays their salaries. Our Constitutional rights were intentionally violated by their actions and violent responses.

All they had to do was listen to us for five minutes & accept the petitions on Thelma's behalf. We've been there several times before without incident.

But to lock out citizens & disrepect Vets is a despicable and cowardly act on their part.

More at this link:

http://www.vbdems.org/?p=891#comments

Conservative a**holes were compelled to comment, too.

I mean -- what KIND of country do we live in when veterans of the freaking Iraq war are not allowed to go to a congressional office in their district to give their opinion on that war? I worked to get that woman out of office, but we just live in a Republican district, and we failed. Now we see these consequences and it is so frustrating and sad.

[beachmom]

1. Also did a GD thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x277545

[TayTay]

2. That is just beyond awful

I agree. Americans have the constitutional right to a 'redress of grievances' from their elected officials. This Congresscritter is dead wrong and an embarrasment to the Constition she swore and oath to uphold.

Shame on her.

[fedupinBushcountry]

3. Disgusting

Yes the consequences are dreadful, and to this day I think Dem leadership in Virginia talked David Ashe out of running so they could put up a conservative Dem like Kellam.

[beachmom]

4. To be fair, Fedup -- Webb didn't do any better in Virginia Beach

than Kellam. And Webb was about as ideal a candidate as you could get for a military district like ours. I just think people vote the R without even thinking around these parts. That mindlessness is why we have such horrible (and stupid -- she is really dumb when she talks about Iraq) representation.

Nevertheless, I agree with you that David Ashe was just a great guy and candidate, and I hope he considers running in '08.

[fedupinBushcountry]

5. But

District 2 is not just Virginia Beach, it is part of Norfolk and the Eastern Shore.

[beachmom]

6. Good point -- Kellam did well in those areas, actually, while

Thelma did well in Virginia Beach -- you're right. I suppose we'd have to compare their numbers precinct by precinct to see if Webb matched or did better than Kellam. I think David Ashe had a better chance than Kellam because he spoke out of conviction.