GreenBayProgressive.com
State/Local - Tuesday, August 04, 2009

(Green Bay, WI) - A group of unruly radicals disrupted Congressman Kagen’s Healthcare Listening Session last night.  This group of radicals used the tactics outlined in a “Disrupters MEMO” to the letter and even went beyond what the memo called for.  

This radical group came over two hours before the event took place to pack the auditorium and make sure no one who actually wanted to have debate or ask a legitimate question of the Congressman could.  As the crowd worked itself into a frenzy, any hope for a debate on the issues was lost. Similar groups in other areas are responsible for chasing Congressional representatives to their CARS and HANGING others in effigy.  

In response, Tom Sieber, Chair of the Democratic Party of Brown County said, “This fringe group of radicals is using tactics to shut out debate on the Healthcare Bill.  Their main focus is to garner negative media attention for themselves and try to intimidate Democrats, Independents and Republicans from having a legitimate debate on the merits of healthcare reform.” 

Chairman Sieber continued, “This group really needs to go back to Kindergarten and learn the basics of manners.  Their parents and Kindergarten teachers would be ashamed and embarrassed by the behavior exhibited last night.  The tactics used last night are strongly denounced by the Democratic Party of Brown County.  I call upon the Republican Party to denounce the use of these tactics as well.” 

In a personal email from Jerry Bader (host of a morning program on WTAQ) to Tom Sieber, Mr. Bader wrote, “IF ANYBODY is actually disruptive, I will denounce their behavior.”  I fully expect Mr. Bader to live up to his word and denounce the use of these tactics at any further listening sessions held by Congressman Kagen.

Chairman Sieber finished with the statement, “It surprises me that people like Cate Zueske, wife of past Congressional candidate John Gard, would support this behavior by handing out posters for this radical group and carrying a video recorder to the event.  It also surprises me that candidates who are seeking to replace Congressman Kagen would want anything to do with this radical group.  I call on John Gard as a past candidate and the three announced candidates for Congress to denounce this behavior as well.”

The tactics to disrupt Congressional Listening Sessions were clearly part of a lobbyist funded national effort. A "Political Action Memo" entitled "Rocking the Town Halls" is being widely distributed to the right wing faithful. A video from CBS news documents similiar protest tactics in every State. Finally,  ThinkProgress and other sites called attention to anti-health care protesters who recently hung up an effigy of Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) outside his district office in Salisbury, MD.

Congressman Kagen had anticipated the tactics in the Green Bay Progressive yesterday, saying "Despite the clear need for reform, Republicans are continuing their desperate attempts to defeat it. Across the country they are organizing to disrupt health care town halls and listening sessions. Don't let them play politics with the lives of Americans depending on health care reform."