Rep. Doris Matsui vote to fund war Friday dooms U.S. troops, Iraqi people

URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
Friday, March 23, 2007
Contact: Cres Vellucci, Coalition to End War, 916-996-9170

ATTN: NEWS DESK

Rep. Doris Matsui vote to fund war Friday ‘dooms'
US troops, charge vets arrested at her office
as they read the names of Iraq war dead

SACRAMENTO – Five veterans – among seven people arrested at the office of
Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) Thursday as they read the names of those
killed in Iraq – said today they will fight those charges, and intend to
subpoena the democrat as a witness in their trial.

The veterans said, in a joint news conference Friday, that they were
dismayed to learn Matsui voted to approve the $124 appropriations bill,
including about $95 billion for the war in Iraq.

The arrests came at the end of eight hours of reading of the names of some
of the more than 3,200 U.S. war dead inside Matsui's office. More than 30
people participated. It was the 52nd straight day of a "peace-in" at
Matsui's office – the longest occupation of its kind in the country by
those opposed to the Iraq war. The "peace-in" started Jan. 8.

"Rep. Matsui, and the democrats who voted for the bill, have doomed the
troops in Iraq, and all those after them, to at least 18 more months of
horrific war. By voting to continue this war, they will share
responsibility for thousands of U.S. deaths and injuries and an untold
number of Iraqi civilians casualties," said Cres Vellucci, spokesperson for
the coalition and one of those arrested. He said Matsui and her staff would
subpoenaed to testify at trial.

"Rep. Matsui has said, as have many of the democrats elected into power
last November, that she opposes the war. But, if she does, why did she vote
to fund it for another 18 months? She had a better option, one that the
majority of voters support...de-fund the war now, and bring our troops
swiftly and safely home now," added George Main, another arrested veteran.

"Our arrests Thursday came after we read several thousand names of those
killed in Iraq. We still had pages of names to read, but were not given the
opportunity to do so by Rep. Matsui's staff," said John Reiger, who also
was handcuffed and arrested Thursday.

The seven, members of the Sacramento Coalition to End the War, were
arrested for allegedly refusing to obey orders of a federal police officer,
and released on their own recognizance.