Dayton closes D.C. office over security concerns

[goodhue]

http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5028933.html

Last update: October 12, 2004 at 1:16 PM
Dayton closes D.C. office over security concerns
Associated Press
October 12, 2004

WASHINGTON-- Sen. Mark Dayton said Tuesday he is closing his Washington office because of a classified intelligence report which made him fear for the safety of his staff.

Dayton, D-Minn., said the office will be closed while Congress is in recess through Election Day, with his staff working out of his Minnesota office and in Senate space off Capitol Hill.

``I take this step out of extreme, but necessary, precaution to protect the lives and safety of my Senate staff and my Minnesota constituents, who might otherwise be visiting my Senate office in the next three weeks,'' he said on a call with reporters.

``I feel compelled to do so because I will not be here in Washington to share what I consider to be an unacceptably greater risk to their safety,'' he said.

* * *

http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5028933.html

[loveable liberal]

1. big oil after dayton..

for introducing the bill regarding ethanol.

[JackRiddler]

36. NORAD after Dayton?

Alert: Sen. Dayton in receipt of threats?

Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN) announces today he is closing his Washington offices through Election Day in response to unspecified threats. He is the only member of the Senate to do so following an intelligence report by an unnamed agency, which was presented to all senators two weeks ago by Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN).

See http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041012/ap_on_go_co/senator_security_threat

Could Dayton's move be related to his also being the only Senator who has said this?

"Sen. Dayton: NORAD Lied About 9/11"
See http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20040731213239607

Why not ask him yourself about the threat that motivated his decision? Isn't it relevant to others who may be threatened?
Sen. Dayton online: http://dayton.senate.gov/

Possibly related stories now at http://www.summeroftruth.org/#news -
"FEMA plans terror-incident training program under CERT for Election Day, Nov. 2, 2004"
"Indymedia servers seized by FBI - in London" (Oct 7)

Or might Dayton's move be related to worries following the suspicious 2002 death of Minnesota's other Democratic senator, Paul Wellstone?

Don't panic - be alert to fear campaigns. They indicate the presence of an opening for exposure of a corrupt system, and desperation on the part of those who want to close it. Keep up the pressure!

The Dayton story was just published on Yahoo:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041012/ap_on_go_co/senator_security_threat

Yahoo! News - Tue, Oct 12, 2004
Politics - U. S. Congress
Sen. Dayton Temporarily Closing Office

1 hour, 5 minutes ago
Politics - U. S. Congress

WASHINGTON - A Democratic senator said Tuesday he has closed his Washington office because a top-secret intelligence report made him fear for his staff's safety. Federal law enforcement officials insisted there is no new intelligence indicating the Capitol complex is a target.

Sen. Mark Dayton (news, bio, voting record), D-Minn., said his office in the Russell Senate Office Building across the street from the Capitol will be closed while Congress is in recess through Election Day, with his staff working out of his Minnesota office and in Senate space off Capitol Hill.

"I take this step out of extreme, but necessary, precaution to protect the lives and safety of my Senate staff and my Minnesota constituents, who might otherwise be visiting my Senate office in the next three weeks," he said.

Dayton said he could not give details of the intelligence report, which he said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., presented to senators at a briefing two weeks ago.

Frist told reporters later that he didn't know of any other senator who had closed their Capitol Hill office.

...

----------
(c) 2004 yahoo news
Used for information purposes under fair-use provisions.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Great way to leak the contents of the report without actually leaking it

GOOD FOR DAYTON!

[Stephanie]

3. What's the report?

What's going on? I find this story extremely alarming.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Apparently a classified intelligence report

scare tactics from the Bush admin...so rather than LEAK the report, Dayton closes his office in response to it (kinda like FORCING a leak) I think it was brilliant on Dayton's part...I imagine we'll get the gist of it soon, now.

[Timefortruth]

9. We don't see chimp in DC, do we?

There isn't much doubt that they'll let it happen if they can. Who knows how much control they have over timing. Wouldn't it be ironic if the attack were on November 2nd at 9:00pm. Too late to help chimp but early enough that it wasn't in response to the election results.

[joanski01]

5. What the heck is going on?

Why aren't all the other Senators taking precautions? Maybe they will. Senator Dayton knows what happened to Paul Wellstone, so he's taking no chances. We've just got to get rid of BushCo!!!!!

[Kukesa]

6. I tried to get him to move to Ohio.

In fact, I phoned his office and told whoever answered the phone that I'd trade TWO Ohio senators for him.

They can have DeWine and Voinovich; good riddance.

When the secretary stopped laughing, she said she'd pass my request along to Sen. Dayton. I still haven't heard from him. Sigh.

[MnFats]

7. Sorry, he's ours and we're keeping him.

He gets better all the time.
Sure wish we still had Paul around, though

[VegasWolf]

42. Yes, I wish Paul was still around also!!!

New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional

[northernsoul]

45. hands off! He's ours and we ain't tradin'!

:evilgrin:

[robertpaulsen]

8. Kick

Wow! Sounds like Homeland Security will raise the threat level to ORANGE sometime after the debate!

:kick:

[LibertyLover]

22. Raise the threat level

In DC and NY City the threat level is already at orange. Let's hope they don't decide to raise it to red for the election.

[goodhue]

10. Avoid travel to D.C.!?

http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5028933.html

Dayton said he could not describe the contents of the top-secret intelligence report, which was presented to senators at a briefing two weeks ago.

``None of us can predict the future,'' he said. ``I hope and pray that the precautions I've taken will prove unnecessary.''

Asked what advise he would have for Minnesotans who want to travel to Washington over the next few weeks, Dayton said, ``I wouldn't advise them to come to Capitol Hill. I would not bring my two sons to the capitol between now and the election.''

[Dickie Flatt]

11. Can't wait to see our state GOP attack him

I wonder what they'll say? "Mark Dayton is a spineless coward. Vote Bush or the terrorists win."

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. He will probably look foolish

if none of the other 99 Senators follow his lead and there is no attack.

[goodhue]

13. prudent is more like it

just who is calling whose bluff here

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. Then why aren't any other Senators joining him?

:shrug:

[goodhue]

16. they lack guts

[Freddie Stubbs]

18. Does anyone really think that Robert Byrd lacks guts?

:shrug:

[goodhue]

20. it only takes one senator to call Frist's bluff

[Freddie Stubbs]

21. And that is something that Dayton has not done

Calling Frist's bluff would require him to stand up and say that he doesn't believe it. Which he hasn't done.

[maryallen]

26. You're wrong ...

Dayton has been one of the loudest critics of this administration, and most particularly, of the 911 Commission Report.

Perhaps you didn't catch his questions before the commission, but he was adamant about the lies that NORAD spokespeople told to the investigative body ... called them point by point ... the ONLY senator that I saw that compared their first and second testimonies to illustrate their blatant alteration of the "facts."

[Freddie Stubbs]

27. He hasn't called their bluff on this particular point

That's why I'm not so sure what he is up to, unless he is genuinely scared.

[goodhue]

29. Dayton dismayed & perplexed by Frist's unwillingness to discuss situation

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/12/politics/main...

Dayton issued a written statement that complained of inaction by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.

"On three occasions, I have spoken personally with the majority leader and asked him to convene a meeting of all Senators to discuss this situation. I am dismayed, and perplexed, by his unwillingness to meet with us further about the information, which he initially brought to our attention. In the absence of that further discussion, I have made my own decision about my office, as is my responsibility," Dayton said.

[goodhue]

49. Byrd Defends Dayton's Office Closure

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041014/ap_on_go_co/brf_dayton_security_threat

Byrd Defends Dayton's Office Closure

2 hours, 30 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - The Senate's most senior member on Thursday defended Sen. Mark Dayton (news, bio, voting record)'s decision to close his Washington office over concerns about a terrorist attack.

"Senator Dayton took this precautionary step based on his conscience and his responsibility to his staff," said Sen. Robert Byrd (news, bio, voting record), an eight-term Democratic senator from West Virginia. "I commend him."

Byrd, 86, said in a statement that law enforcement and intelligence experts have warned senators about increased threats to the Capitol in recent weeks.

"They have urged senators to be prepared to have their staffs work from alternate locations," Byrd said. "Senators ought not take these warnings lightly. And those senators who put in place prudent security measures should not be mocked."

* * *

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041014/ap_on_go_co/brf_dayton_security_threat

[dflprincess]

31. What we're not being told

is how many members of Congress are leaving Washington but not getting their staff out of harm's way.

Oh, and that weasel Coleman has already said that shutting down the office is "giving into the terrorists."

[AtTheEndOfTheDay]

35. so what

[goodhue]

15. more here from CBS

He is indeed trying to force senate leadership's hand . . .

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/12/politics/main648878.shtml

Dayton issued a written statement that complained of inaction by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.

"On three occasions, I have spoken personally with the majority leader and asked him to convene a meeting of all Senators to discuss this situation. I am dismayed, and perplexed, by his unwillingness to meet with us further about the information, which he initially brought to our attention. In the absence of that further discussion, I have made my own decision about my office, as is my responsibility," Dayton said.

[drb]

17. Here it comes!

Massive terror attack on Washington D.C.

Elections "postponed" until "order is restored."

Shadow government (remember them?) takes over.

[goodhue]

19. methinks Dayton is trying to preempt some of that

by forcing issue into media earlier than repukes plan

[LeinesRed]

23. I guess if he figures he's away....his staff shares all of the risk...

Wolfie just announced this on CNN

[LeinesRed]

24. Calling a bluff?

I kinda see the point here...

[LeinesRed]

25. Faux isn't hyperventilating over the story yet....

must be waiting for a fax from the RNC. Maybe this means that Dayton is forcing someone's hand.

[LisaM]

28. If his office near either Kerry or Edwards' offices?

Isn't it by seniority? I am not sure how long he's been there, but it's not long, in which case he might be near Sen. Edewards' office.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

30. I am liking my Senator more and more.

(But not the other one, Coleman, who is a tool of the worst kind.) I wonder if the threat was specific to Dayton's office, or more generalized, since the other seantors (even the non-stupid ones) haven't done anything. Or maybe Dayton is the only one with the cojones to try to force the hand of the Ministry of Fatherland Security so they'll tell us WTF is going on.

[Bossy Monkey]

32. Presumably specific to Capitol Hill

since he said some would be working in Washington, but off the hill.

[Generator]

33. Shit, this is one of the scariest things I've read on DU

This is the Senator that actually said there was a cover-up of Norad/FAA on 9/11. He is refusing to stay in DC due to his fear for employees safety!!!! Why isn't this on the news?????

Maybe they really are planning a coup. I don't know what else to think. I don't know if the nightmare is ever going to end, and meanwhile on DU we have the great fun of Kerry haters for Kerry.

This scares me to death. And my husband is going to be in D.C. the last week of Otcober.
What Senator or anyone has ever closed an office before due to security concerns?

Ashcroft stopped flying commercial, oh yeah, that's what this reminds me of.

[goodhue]

34. Is Dayton fearful?

Is he making a political point?
Both?

[goodhue]

37. kick

[goodhue]

38. intended to influence election?

"The timing of Dayton's actions led to feverish speculation — but few facts — about whether any of this was intended to influence the upcoming election."

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/politics/capitol/9902707.htm

So start with the feverish speculation already.

[goodhue]

39. Bush Slams Mark Dayton for Heeding Advice of Intelligence Report

http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s2i6801

Bush Slams Mark Dayton for Heeding Advice of Intelligence Report

Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton has closed his office amid warning of a terrorist attack. The briefing containing evidence that Al-Qaeda is going to attack the Capitol was given by a Republican, Bill Frist , and was backed by 15 intelligence reports. Despite this, many conservatives have portrayed Dayton as a coward, a sissy, and a little miss scaredy cat.

The Republicans are especially mad at Dayton for, "following advice given to him by a Republican Senator." The Republicans said that they would be fooled by, "liberal propaganda," so Dayton should not have been, "fooled by theirs."

Tom Ridge, for once in the past four years, said that he is lowering the terror level, bit because of lower security risk, to make Dayton look like, "a discreditable Democrat." Tom Ridge says that what Dayton did was merely a political stunt to make Democrats look bad. Tom Ridge says that he would only use political stunts to make Republicans look good, such as raising the terror alert level the day before elections for no reason at all.

Dayton says that he closed his office so that, "his staff would be safe if there was such an attack." He will keep on doing his job in a different location, but the Republicans think he is closing his office to take a vacation. "This is a perfect example of a lazy welfare abusing liberal," said Rush Limbaugh on his radio show. Limbaugh continued, saying, "How can Dayton claim to be pro-life when he protects the lives of his staff? You need to be anti-life after a fetus is born. You need to hate the liberals, the poor, and everyone who disagrees with you. They will all burn in hell."

http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s2i6801

[AlFrankenFan]

40. Is he trying to warn us about something?

Sorry, but if you're paranoid like me about the "October Surprise", don't you think it would be logical that a Democrat would alert us indirectly by doing something like this?

[RainDog]

41. I think DC is on heightened alert because

of the report that a joint U.S./Israeli attack on Iran is in the works for, I would guess from the report Florida Pat posted, the next week or two.

Rumsfeld visited the USS John Kennedy, stationed in the Gulf, and that ship is noted in the Gen Discussion post about the upcoming attack on Iran's nuclear facilities (and their mullahs.)

If this really is the case, then, yeah, D.C. would think it's vulnerable to a counterattack.

More likely, it would seem to me, is the idea that Iran would attack our troops in Iraq or would attack Israel.

but who knows. I hope I'm wrong. I'm just guessing on what I've read from Florida Pat's link, and I don't know how reliable that source actually is.

[RainDog]

43. here's the link

http://www.tbrnews.org/Archives/a1130.htm

this is the link to the site Florida Pat posted in GD.

[goodhue]

44. Dayton defends move . . .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x903940

[goodhue]

46. Does Mark Dayton know something we don't?

http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5031556.html

Danielson said Dayton attended a closed-door briefing on Iraq by Senate leaders on Sept. 22. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other Pentagon brass were there.

At the meeting, he said, Frist announced a new threat assessment dated Sept. 15, and encouraged senators to read it. Dayton told his staff that Frist described the intelligence report as sobering.

Dayton read the report the following day, Sept. 23. "It alarmed him," Danielson said. "It was very different in tone from previous reports."

Dayton also discussed the report with Pickle, a former secret service agent. Dayton quoted Pickle as saying it was the most "declarative" threat assessment he'd seen in 30 years.

Pickle confirmed Dayton's account, adding that "all the senators who saw it found it very sobering."

[goodhue]

47. Courage of convictions for his staff . . .

http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5031556.html

Between Sept. 23 and Oct. 1, Dayton talked to Frist three times, trying unsuccessfully to get him to convene a meeting of senators to discuss security precautions.

On Friday, Dayton told his staff he would close the office.

* * *

Dayton said that he expected his decision to be questioned, but that he feels other senators, most of whom have left Washington for an election recess, are asking their staffs to take a risk that they are not taking themselves.

"If I didn't have the courage of my convictions, I don't belong here" in the Senate, he said.

* * *

http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/5031556.html

[Bandit]

48. I think he believes the anthrax to Democrats was scary stuff

He doesn't want to risk his staff because he knows they are capable of doing a repeat of the anthrax mailings. Although I think anthrax now would be not really logical. The WMDs Iraq supposedly had including Anthrax are not in existence. They may be looking to lay blame somehow on Iran so be aware of possible threats from Iran. That is what we should expect next. Whatever they tell us Iran is capable of.