Angry Activists Arrested on Capitol Hill.

104 busted demanding Congress stop targeting people with disabilities.

9/19/05

(WASHINGTON DC) Angry at Congress’ delay to end the institutional bias in long-term care services and supports, ADAPT struck out at Congressional leaders that have failed to cosponsor MiCASSA and Money Follows the Person legislation. Also mad that the proposed $10 billion cut in Medicaid is aimed at people with disabilities, ADAPT demanded that Congress reject the Medicaid Reconciliation Act and address the service and support needs of people with disabilities impacted by Katrina.

“I think it was time to say we have had enough meetings,” said Randy Alexander who visited Sen. Bill Frist’s office. “We are angry and want to see some action. It is time for this Congressional leadership to take the lead on these issues.”

At strategic offices in four Congressional office buildings, ADAPT groups of fifty or sixty coordinated a demonstration aimed at Rep. Dennis Hastert, Rep. Tom DeLay, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. John Barton, Sen. Chuck Grassley, Sen. Harry Reid and Sen. Bill Frist. The ADAPT groups chanted and refused to leave without getting a positive response from the Congress member.

“We have had many meetings,” said Frank LoZano of Desert ADAPT, “now with these incredible cuts, those numbers are absurd. With this kind of aggression from Congress, we cannot sit by and be nice.”

In Rep. Barton’s office, nineteen activists packed inside with overflow into the hall. Using noisemakers, activists kept time with their chants until the Capitol Police were called to declare the scene an unlawful assembly. Captain Mahr explained to the group the consequences of unlawful assembly and asked activists to leave the building. Over the continued chants of “Free Our People!” the Captain changed his request to “I am ordering you to leave.”

The police gave three warnings, the third with a bullhorn over the loud chants and rhythmic noisemakers. None of the ADAPT members moved. Activists continued to chant as one member after another was removed from the office. Police were forced to find the drive system of the assortment of wheelchairs or some way to move many of the heavy powerchairs because, although obeying the law-enforcement authorities, activists did not help the police do their job. 

At Tom DeLay’s office, the action seemed to happen in the hall. Police were intent on arresting Mark Johnson and Jose Lara inside, but the ADAPT members in the hall blocked the door and shut the two inside. The Capitol Police could not open the door to get Mark and Jose out. Not until near closing time of 7:00pm did the police realize that ADAPT was not leaving until their demands were met and arrested all those at DeLay’s office.

“Mr. DeLay did not respond at all,” said Jose Lara from Texas. “We asked for a fax or phone call, and we got nothing. So I decided to stay until we get a response.” 

Those activists that took-over Sen. Chuck Grassley’s office said that the Senator did not want to be responsible for arrests in his office; so they were not arrested until after 7:00 pm when the building closed to the public. Although in Grassley’s office for a long time, the staff would not have a dialogue with ADAPT.

Likewise, in Frist’s and Reid’s offices there was little real dialogue on the issue. Congressional staff seem to forget that MiCASSA and MFP have been in front of the legislators for years and people with disabilities are livid that the disability community goes unseen by the lawmakers. Many Americans have had a glimpse of the isolation imposed on people with disabilities in the wake of the hurricane Katrina, who were disproportionately hard hit.

In Barton’s office one activist asked a staff member if the Representative cared about people or profits. In the middle of the tired canned response another activist noticed a sign on Barton’s wall that said: “Fear God, tell the truth, make a profit.” The staff member seemed to lose validity with the crowd and shortly left to get a more intimidating worker to speak with ADAPT. Bruce Darling quickly made a correction to the sign, changing the last line from “make a profit” to “make a friend.”

ADAPT activists that took-over Grassley’s office were the last to be released. A steady stream of ADAPTers were released throughout the night, making their way back to the hotel in groups of four and six. At the front door of the hotel, a greeting party cheered for each activist returning and directing them to some pizza if they didn’t go straight to bed. The last of the group was released around 6:30 am.

In Nancy Pelosi’s office Sarah, on her first action with ADAPT, wrote in an office appointment book: “meet with ADAPT” and “sign on to MiCASSA and MFP.”

- Tim Wheat