A few hours ago, I joined over one hundred grassroots leaders from the Alliance to Develop Power as they stormed the Capitol office of Sen. Scott Brown to demand a meeting. When Brown was elected, he promised to be a "big tent Republican" and represent all of Massachusetts. Since his election, the Alliance to Develop Power and hundreds of other grassroots organizations have placed calls, sent letters and even held a press conference to request a meeting with Brown. Their requests have gone ignored.
So a hundred-plus everyday folks from Massachusetts, already in town to protest how big bank lobbyists are trying to kill financial reform and our economic recovery, paid a visit to their newly-elected Senator to ask him to live up to his "big tent" promises.
Here's an exclusive video I shot from inside Scott Brown's office as it's taken over by protesters:
Here's more on the action from a great piece on Congress.org:
The Alliance said they had requested a meeting with the lawmaker in writing but did not hear back. Chief of Staff Steven Schrage, who appeared shortly after the police, denied knowledge of such a letter. He advised the group to fill out an online form to request a meeting.
"We process our requests the same way for everybody," he told them. "He's not going to run around the country for people."That stirred up the crowd, but the group's leaders simply held their fists up in the air -- a prearranged signal to the others to remain quiet. Police asked everyone to step out while the leaders negotiated with Schrage.
Ultimately, the chief of staff agreed to set up a meeting within the next two weeks.
The Massachusetts voters who demonstrated in Sen. Brown's office -- representatives of the Alliance to Develop Power in Springfield, MA -- noted that while on the campaign trail, Brown promised to fight against big bank bailouts but as Senator has acted in lockstep with the financial industry. Most recently, Sen. Brown voted against the Brown-Kaufman safe banking amendment, which would break up the big banks and benefit average Americans and the economy. Who's in that tent of yours, Senator Brown?
We'll see if Scott Brown lives up to his campaign promises, meets with the Alliance to Develop Power and other grassroots leaders --- and actually stands on the side of Main Street who elected him, not just Wall Street lining his pockets. His voters are clearly watching...
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I know my rhetoric sounds harsh, but is it not true? To be a successful Republican your sole goal in your position as a lawmaker is not to better the people in passing meaningful laws but to crush any and all Democrats by lies, confusion, and demonization.
"We want our country back from that big scary black man in the White House." The Republican "come to Jesus moment?" January 21st of last year. To be a successful Republican you must try and de-legitimize any and all Democratic election victories.