4 arrested at Lieberman's office

Protesters who are miffed about Joe Lieberman's stance against the current health care reform package held demonstrations today at his offices in Washington, D.C. and Hartford. 

30 people showed up to Lieberman's Hartford office this morning. Four were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

"Arrest the real criminals! Arrest the real criminals," the demonstrators chanted.

The group claims that Sen. Lieberman has accepted over $2 million in contributions from the health care industry since 1989. As an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats, Lieberman will play a key role as the U.S. Senate debates and votes on health care legislation. Lieberman has said he will not likely vote for health care legislation that includes a public option.

Read a summary of the bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives

"There's a lot of people who believe in health care and we're not going to go away. You have to listen to us Senator Lieberman, please," said Lauren Serven of Wethersfield.

Earlier, the protesters in Hartford confronted Lieberman's Deputy State Director, Laura Cahill, on the sidewalk and held their own fillibuster.

"Senators wants to be a part of the disucussion. He has indicated...," Cahill said.
"He's preventing that discussion," a protester interjected.
"He's squashing any type of discussion or democracy allowed," another protester said.
"He's going to stop health care for the whole country," said another.

"Senator respects your viewpoint," Cahill said.
"I don't think he does respect our viewpoint," a demonstrator responded. "Because if he did respect our viewpoint he would get on the phone with us right now."

Cahill's promise to present their views to Lieberman were not enough so they staged an old-fashioned sit in and were removed by the police.

The event in Hartford was coordinated with another demonstration at Sen. Lieberman's Washington, D.C. office. Six protesters were arrested there for unlawful entry.

Kevin Zeese, an organizer with Mobilization for Health Care for All , says the demonstrators urged Lieberman to stop accepting money from health insurance companies. He says the protesters threw mock dollar bills printed with Lieberman's face from the seventh-floor balcony.

"Everybody has a right to express their point of view, I much prefer to have a dialog, of course. But, I think, some of these folks come in to get arrested, that's their right too," Lieberman said.