Take back the Capitol: Tuesday

by David Safier

[Note: Though "Occupy Congress" and "Occupy the Capitol" are being used, the proper name for the event is "Take Back the Capitol." Thought you should know.]

The Arizona delegation, about 13 people, walked from the encampment on the Mall to the Hart Building and arrived at Jon Kyl’s office around noon, accompanied by a CNN reporter and cameraman. Three people asked to speak to Kyl and were told he wasn't in the office. He was on the Hill somewhere, they weren’t sure exactly where. No surprise there.

So here we stay, camping out – standing, sitting on couches, sitting on the floor, eating the bag lunches we were given at the encampment, waiting. The staff is very polite – even offered us water.

Delegations are occupying a number offices in the Senate in the House.

The three people who spoke to the staff for us – Denee Rodriguez,  Axel Bello and Michelle McDonnell (left to right in the portrait below) — already spent four days at Kyl’s Phoenix office, where they brought signatures and written concerns from about 300 people. They were assured the information would be faxed to the D.C. office. The staff in D.C. says they never received the information. When they were in Phoenix, the three attempted to make an appointment with the D.C. office, without success. “We’re following the rules,” Denee said, “and they’re not responding.”

Denee, Axel and Michelle have stories involving prior employment and ownership of small businesses. All three are currently out of work. Denee, the main spokesperson for the group, uses a walker and made the half hour trek from the encampment, slowly but surely, to the office. Her health problems weren’t going to stop her from saying what she had to say.