CodePink in DC hosted tonight's pre-impeachment hearing meeting to coordinate substance, logistics and planned official responses. In attendance were David Swanson of AfterDowningStreet.org, Susan Serpa and Ralph Lopez of Republicans for Impeachment and the Northeastern Impeachment Coalition, and Cynthia Papermaster, CodePink's Bay Area coordinator who also represents the National Impeachment Network.
Gael Murphy and Desiree Fairooz, CodePink hostesses extraordinaire, welcome everyone to the house in DC!
David Swanson of AfterDowningStreet.org talks about presenting a unified response across activist organizations. He announced that the hearings will be covered by Pacifica radio and CSPAN3, follow the link for more comprehensive information and a video of today's press conference. (I don't want to steal his thunder!)
Sue Serpa stressed that since Congress is finally doing the right thing, these hearings should be addressed with dignity and there should be no protests or disruptions. Desiree Fairooz (nationally infamous for her confrontation of Condi Rice) and Gael Murphy, CodePink cofounder, agreed that tomorrow CodePink will only attend the hearings but not engage in any protests or disruption. Here, Gael talks to Sue as Leslie, Ralph Lopez, Mike from Vets for Peace and Lisa look on.
David Swanson got the announcement of the official hearing witness list while the meeting was going on, here you can see him reading it to the room. Bruce Fein, one of the witnesses, has allowed David to post the transcript of his official testimony tomorrow.
Here's Hassan, Liz, Leslie, Lisa and David.
More later as it happens - we'll be at Rayburn tomorrow bright and early, and there will be an activist press conference immediately after the event.
Things are a bit crazed here in the CodePink domicile, as they usually are. Everyone is very excited and hopeful that tomorrow the wheels of justice will finally start to roll.
I wonder how much of the case of mead - six bottles of rosemary, and six of cherry - these wild and crazy folks are going to knock back tonight. :) We do have to get up early tomorrow, but I do hope that tomorrow evening will bring cause for celebration rather than the drowning of sorrows and more of the same two-stepping from our legislators.
I have a couple of persnickety house computers to whack upside the head, and dinner is ready, but I will be peeking my head back into t3h 1nt4rdn3tz every now and then to answer questions.
Heh... I think I just heard a familiar Arkansas twang upstairs, I do believe Colonel Ann Wright just arrived!