A protester landed a one-man gyrocopter on the Capitol lawn in Washington D.C. to deliver letters to Congress urging real campaign finance reform:
A 61-year-old Florida mailman was arrested Wednesday after he landed a gyrocopter on the US Capitol west lawn. The gyrocopter was carrying the pilot and 535 stamped letters for members of Congress urging "real reform" to campaign finance laws.
Doug Hughes told the Tampa Bay Times ahead of the afternoon stunt that he notified authorities "well over an hour in advance of getting to the no-fly zone, so they know who I am and what I'm doing."
Bloomberg has this analysis of the aftermath, and Tampa Bay Times has video of the incident from multiple angles. Hughes live streamed his flight on a blog entitled The Democracy Club. Ben Montgomery, a reporter from the Tampa Bay Times, knew about the planned flight for months and traveled to D.C. to witness it, but only informed the Capitol Police and Secret Service after Hughes was in the air. Hughes contacted Montgomery after Secret Service questioned him in 2014. The FAA is investigating the incident.
How long before copycats start doing the same at the personal addresses of Congressmen, Supreme Court Justices, and others?
Update: Doug Hughes has been charged with knowingly operating an unregistered aircraft (a felony punishable by up to three years in prison) and violating national defense airspace (punishable by up to one year in prison).
Hughes was released after the hearing, on condition that he observe home detention until his next court date in the capital city, on 8 May.
He was ordered to surrender his passport and banned from flying any aircraft, and must report to the authorities once a week. He was also charged with operating an unregistered aircraft.
Related Stories
Glenn "Cannon Balls" Hughes, a mail carrier that took it upon himself to fly a gyrocopter into restricted space in Washington, D.C. to deliver messages to Congress, is now facing more charges and possible prison time, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Shortly after being arrested, he was charged with crimes that could have put him behind bars for up to five years. Now additional charges have been added to raise that to a possible nine-and-a-half years, almost double the time he faced at first.
Amid the debate, lawmakers have suggested that the laws under which Hughes faced charges should be updated with tougher penalties.
When Hughes was first charged in April, he faced fewer counts and a possible sentence of fewer than five years in prison.
The list of charges seems a bit over the top, but that level of vindictiveness from our government seems the norm these days, OMO.
"I am more convinced than ever that I did the right thing," Hughes said in a Wednesday evening interview.
The charges include two felonies: one count each of operating as an airman without an airman's certificate and violating registration requirements involving aircraft. In addition, he was indicted on four misdemeanor counts: three counts of violation of national defense airspace, and one of operating a vehicle falsely labeled as a postal carrier.
If Hughes is convicted of either of the two felonies, he will be required to forfeit his gyrocopter to the federal government.
Hughes called his potential sentence "excessive" because of the nature of his action: an act of civil disobedience where no one was hurt, and no property was damaged.
"How is that worth 9½ years?" he said. "I think the prosecutor has an uphill battle."
Hughes said he is not certain what will happen at Thursday's arraignment. But he said he is open to the idea of a plea bargain, if it means no jail time. But he also is prepared for the possibility that his case could go in front of a jury.
I'm not certain I would have his optimism about the prosecution having an uphill battle, but I do hope he is right about that.
Disclaimer: I take full blame for the 'Cannon Balls' moniker in the title summary. It was meant to be a statement and show of my admiration for G. Hughes, who I see as worthy of respect, whether you agree with his cause, or not.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2015, @12:52AM
SN really needs to do something so that breaking news stories get on the front page sooner.
Even /. covered this [slashdot.org] a day ago.
This is old news now.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday April 17 2015, @01:00AM
He was only charged a few hours ago, and that information was included when the story went live.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by NCommander on Friday April 17 2015, @01:19AM
I'm open to suggestions from the editoral staff on how to better flag these items.
Still always moving
(Score: 3, Insightful) by takyon on Friday April 17 2015, @01:24AM
Compare this to the Slashdot story, which started from the same submission link.
It was a breaking news story yesterday, but today it is a fully fleshed out story with much more intriguing detail (the Tampa Bay Times reporter's involvement) and finally the charges filed about 4 hours ago.
If it had been submitted as is yesterday, most users would not notice the new information unless it was posted as a new story.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by NCommander on Friday April 17 2015, @01:30AM
IMHO, posting followup articles isn't an uncommon practice w/ most websites. Granted, it would require someone to *post* a followup, but maybe make it clear on the submission guidelines that's acceptable, and just to include a link to the original.
Still always moving
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Common Joe on Friday April 17 2015, @02:58AM
I think the follow up post is fine idea, but don't get too worked up about needing to get breaking news out there. If I want breaking news, I go to Google News. I come here for relevant and interesting technical news, the discussion, and the community. (It is a relief to know that there are other sane people in this world.) Some anonymous cowards tend to forget that this site is volunteer and we all have lives.
Actually, I tend to like my news "a little stale". That way, more facts come out so I'm not constantly digesting bad news and political news. News wise, 9/11 was one of the worst days of my life. The information came in at a trickle and I constantly surrounded myself with those images. 9/11/2001 was the last time I ever watched the news on a regular basis. Now, I read the news on a partial schedule so I'm not constantly bombarded with it.
But I'm only one data point.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Ryuugami on Friday April 17 2015, @06:26AM
Add another data point.
There is a bazillion places on the net where you can engage in the kind of speculation and hyperbole that is inevitable in a "breaking news" fact-free stories.
When something requires swift action, e.g. a large security hole is detected in common software and such, break it ASAP. Then post a follow-up story a few days/weeks later, as a recap, so we can discuss it properly :)
I'd like SN to be a place where I can relax and read some funny and insightful comments from smart people, and that's easier to have when you leave a few days to see the facts and think about them :)
If a shit storm's on the horizon, it's good to know far enough ahead you can at least bring along an umbrella. - D.Weber
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Friday April 17 2015, @06:04PM
I pretty much stopped watching "regular" news, because they seem to peddle misery with the Occasional bit of great / funny / good news. I see plenty of misery in life just by looking around. No need to be bombarded with everyone's problems every day.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by Common Joe on Saturday April 18 2015, @04:37AM
Yeah. For me, it was everything you said plus commercials. For a while before I went online for everything, I recorded the news and fast forwarded through it. (I condensed 60 minutes down to 15 or 20.) I was always unhappy with the quality of the news and then it sunk to a new low when one of the news anchors delivered "news" about how the McRib was coming back to McDonalds. I had heard they were being paid to deliver advertisements as news articles, but that was so overtly blatent, it was one of the defining moments that caused me to go online for my news.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday April 17 2015, @09:55AM
Perhaps the problem is that it just takes a lot of time between submission and publication?
(Score: 2) by mrcoolbp on Friday April 17 2015, @01:43PM
If there's an editor that notices the submission right away, of course they can send the story to the top pretty quickly, but news comes in 24/7, and we only have ~5 active editors.
(Score:1^½, Radical)
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday April 17 2015, @02:14PM
Perhaps it's the amount of editing that is the problem? Some basic fact checking all input has to be subject to of course. The level can be debated otoh.
(Score: 2) by mrcoolbp on Saturday April 18 2015, @05:24PM
That's basically my point, we only have so many editors, and so much time per person.
(Score:1^½, Radical)
(Score: 3, Informative) by rts008 on Friday April 17 2015, @12:59AM
Any way you slice it , this was outright ballsy.
And he at least warned them ahead what was going to be attempted, when, and how, and also...why.
Rain, sleet, and snow will not keep the Mailman from his appointed rounds!
Apparently add Secret Service and Capitol Security can be added to the list above. ;-)
(Score: 0, Troll) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday April 17 2015, @01:41AM
It was ballsy not because of his breaking the law and possibly being placed in immediate danger, but because (if he is a USPS employee) he could lose that his cushy job and that sweet pension as a result of his committing that heinous crime.
Hopefully Grand-Dictator-for-Life Baraq Hussein Sotero and his half-melted rubber attack bulldog Hillary Clinton will throw Gyro Gearloose a boney.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by takyon on Friday April 17 2015, @02:07AM
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Interesting) by frojack on Friday April 17 2015, @02:34AM
Meh, he gets acquitted at any jury trial.
I don't think the flying an unregistered aircraft charge sticks. According to this page [usua.org] there are no requirements to register an ultralight aircraft . Violating a controlled airspace (at the altitude he flew) may be illegal, but its not dangerous, because no regulated aircraft fly below 1200 feet agl.
So it was a protest, no more unsafe, and a lot less unruly than the occupy movement, which did untold property damage and nobody went to jail.
I bet he does community service, and keeps his quasi-government job. Nobody wants him to become a campaign issue.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday April 17 2015, @02:37AM
Honestly I think they are already going light on him. 2 charges and not 20? They can file more though.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by anubi on Friday April 17 2015, @03:39AM
And I sure hope ballsy journalists will keep track of the names of those pressing charges....
Its high time people see the real faces of the people they vote into public offices.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 4, Interesting) by urza9814 on Friday April 17 2015, @01:42PM
You clearly have no clue what you're talking about. I have friends who were sent to Rikers for merely standing in a public park during Occupy.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday April 17 2015, @10:05AM
If they screw up his life they will have their nice little presidential campaign wrecked. So hey "IT'S RAINING!" ;-)
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Hartree on Friday April 17 2015, @01:15AM
"How long before copycats start doing the same"
Probably soon. I just hope we don't get unduly heavy restrictions on gyrocopters, ultralights and other similar small radar stealthy private aircraft due to this.
(Score: 2) by jmorris on Friday April 17 2015, @01:40AM
So long as this one gets seized the message will be received loud and clear, those things ain't exactly cheap. Plus the guy needs to lose his license and be ineligible for a good long time. Pilots really don't want to be grounded, combine with losing the craft and this will be a one off event.
(Score: 2) by Hartree on Friday April 17 2015, @02:14AM
Most licensed pilots and owners aren't the big worry. It's someone who uses one for a political message that doesn't really care if they get caught that are problems.
Just have a couple of these get stolen and landed on the lawns of supreme court justices as mentioned in the intro (As an example: imagine determined protesters wanting to make a point before a Supreme Court test case. Say on a divisive issue like gay marriage or abortion).
I can think of all kinds of onerous requirements for securing them being put on legitimate owners that are nowhere near any sensitive places.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Friday April 17 2015, @02:38AM
FAA has chosen not to promulgate Federal regulations regarding pilot certification, vehiclecertification, and vehicle registration.
You don't need a pilots licence to fly one. You are expected to complete a basic course, but there is no check that you did so.
So maybe they will take his driver's license?
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2015, @06:03AM
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
We are marching into a bright future where almost anyone can 3d-print things like gyrocopters in a garage, along with guns and explosives. And rich people can build sexy and suicidal robot assassins. ~Anonymous 0x9932FE2729B1D963
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v2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=WzMW
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Phoenix666 on Friday April 17 2015, @06:48AM
There will be. There is already talk about outlawing drones. The state will crack down. People will provoke it further. The state will crack down more. Each time, though, a few more people get the courage to fight, and so things grow.
The way for the state to prevent that is to return to the Rule of Law, to put the bankers, CIA, NSA, etc in jail for their crimes, but of course we all know they won't do that. There seems to have been no depth of criminality or depravity that would move Obama and his Attorney General to act. Now he wants to give himself authority to conclude a massive international trade treaty without even the rubber stamp of Congress having seen what's in it. The Supreme Court has opened the flood gates to allowing corporations and the wealthy to buy democracy outright, now the Congress is ceding its basic responsibilities to the Executive Branch. Can anyone still be so deceived or dewy-eyed as to believe that "the system works," or that "all we have to do is vote?"
Yes, the wags will quip, "Well gee that's nice but all people care about is the Kardashians." That might be true of some, but there are millions more who don't know who the fuck they are and couldn't care less; they do, however, care very, very much about the slide this country is taking into the abyss. Whoever the hell the Kardashians are could be taken out in a drone strike and it would not matter one whit to the average guy even one town over. Allowing the NSA to spy on absolutely everything you do with impunity, allowing the CIA to torture you to death with impunity, allowing the police to summarily murder you in the street...those things all have deep and severe impacts on everyone, everywhere. If that doesn't concern you, or make you white-hot mad, then your very life and freedom must mean nothing to you.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday April 17 2015, @10:10AM
Think of the horror if the cameras pointing at Kardashians would fail for some unknown reason and the night of the ants would break out everytime the show went on air ;)
(Score: 5, Insightful) by tathra on Friday April 17 2015, @01:42AM
pretty sad that the only way a citizen can get their representative's attention is either with large sums of money or stunts like this that get you locked up, and we all know that only the former will actually have any kind of effect.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by takyon on Friday April 17 2015, @01:53AM
They will pass a bill with tougher penalties for violating airspace.
There will be no talk of campaign finance reform [npr.org].
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Friday April 17 2015, @03:27AM
It seems to me that our leaders are frightened of us, and seek to keep the ordinary people as far away from them as possible.
This is not only an American thing, I don't live in The US, and yet I recently saw our Prime Minister in public. He was surrounded by armed Police, (they are called the Diplomatic Protection Squad, and they are about the only Police that routinely carry firearms here). There was no way any member of the general public could get within about 10 metres of him.
Later that night I saw a news report about his day out, and it was presented as if he was surrounded by smiling happy folk. That's not what I saw.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by tathra on Friday April 17 2015, @04:29AM
government should be afraid of its citizens, rather than citizens afraid of their government, however this shouldn't apply to individuals - there's no reason for a politician to be afraid of the people he represents. this feels like the 'lords' don't want to mingle with the peons and don't want the filthy poor getting them dirty.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday April 17 2015, @10:15AM
The problem is that there's always a very real threat to people in position of power regardless of them doing good or bad. So they have to surround themselves with guards and keep the distance. But one could always pat people down and allow them to be near.
Some big figures actually went on to handshake with ordinary people in foreign countries to the horror of the security services. So if there's a will there will be contact.
(Score: 2) by tibman on Friday April 17 2015, @01:47AM
Didn't know you had to register a gyrocopter. I tried to look up the process but wow, so lost. http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/aircraft_regn_forms/ [faa.gov]
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2015, @01:54AM
When I first heard about what this guy did it made me really happy. With all the 9/11 bullshit over-reaction there are still people willing to stand up and do something attention grabbing to make a political statement. And nobody shot him. He knew the risks, if you read the tampa bay times coverage the guy had really thought it through, but one thing that really stood out is that the is not a self-righteous dick. I think his understanding of the problems is a little superficial and he's kooky, but kooky in a great way.
Frankly I don't care if there are copycats. Actually I think we could use more people like him. The fact that the only terrorists the FBI can find are the ones they cultivate, equip and plan-out their non-attacks says to me we have more to worry about people not following this guy's footsteps than we do of anyone actually dangerous.
Also the USPS logo on the tail of the gyrocopter was awesome. Just fucking awesome. They should put this guy on a stamp.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday April 17 2015, @01:58AM
We are mothers and fathers. And sons and daughters. Who every day go about our lives with duty, honor and pride. And neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, nor the winds of change, nor a nation challenged, will stay us from the swift completion of our appointed rounds. Ever.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 17 2015, @02:03AM
Helps that he was white.
(Score: 2) by Yog-Yogguth on Friday April 17 2015, @05:10AM
And old.
Bite harder Ouroboros, bite! tails.boum.org/ linux USB CD secure desktop IRC *crypt tor (not endorsements (XKeyScore))
(Score: 3, Interesting) by anubi on Friday April 17 2015, @03:44AM
Excellent suggestion!!! USPS, did you see this?
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday April 17 2015, @10:18AM
I would like that postage stamp too!
(Score: 2) by Reziac on Saturday April 18 2015, @02:35AM
I was under the impression that no license is required for a gyrocopter, and here's what I could find on the topic -- ultralights are NOT regulated, and most gyrocopters are ultralights:
http://www.utahrotorcraft.org/faq.html#11%20Need%20license [utahrotorcraft.org]
=====
Q - If I build it myself, do I need a license to fly it?
A - Any civil aircraft operated in the United States is regulated by the FAA. An appropriate pilot certificate is required to fly, regardless of who owns the property under the airspace in question, or who built the aircraft. The only exception is a operation which qualifies under Part 103 of the Federal Air Regulations. Commonly called "ultralights," these aircraft must be used or be intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant, must weigh under 254 pounds, and are limited to five US gallons of usable fuel capacity and a top speed of 55 knots, or 63 MPH. They may only be used for sport or recreation.
The FAA does not consider ultralights to be "aircraft" in the official sense, instead calling them "ultralight vehicles." Such vehicles face no FAA registration, airworthiness, inspection or maintenance requirements, there are no required markings, and no pilot certificate or documentation of formal training are required by the FAA. This does not mean ultralights can be flown successfully or safely without training! In some ways they can be more demanding to fly than some heavier rotorcraft, especially during takeoff and landing, and they often have marginal performance. Since you will need to get training to fly your ultralight safely, it is a questionable value decision to avoid the little extra work needed to qualify for a pilot certificate. Ultralights also face additional restrictions in controlled airspace, and their operations may be banned at some airports.
=====
If anyone knows different please inform us.
Cuz otherwise this looks to me like "We couldn't charge him with any other crime, so we're gonna reclassify his aircraft."
And there is no Alkibiades to come back and save us from ourselves.