I Forgot to Mention the Hit Man

Yesterday, I told you how Dennis Kucinich single-handedly saved Cleveland’s public utility from a takeover by the banks.  Even though it cost him a job he loved, being Mayor of Cleveland.

But I neglected to mention that Dennis’s courage could have cost him more than his job.  It almost cost him his life.

When Dennis Kucinich refused to turn over Cleveland Public Power to the One Percent, they decided to kill Dennis.  Not kill Dennis’s political career.  Kill Dennis.

You don’t have to take my word for it.  You can read the chilling account in the Cleveland Free Times cover story, which includes quotes from the police interview with the hit man.

The plan was to shoot Dennis in the head, during the Columbus Day Parade.  The Cleveland Cosa Nostra brought in a professional hit man from Maryland to do the hit.  The hit man bought an untraceable rifle, and came to Cleveland.

Why didn’t the hit man kill Dennis?  Because on Columbus Day, an ulcer in Dennis’s stomach burst.  Dennis spent that day in the hospital, not in the parade.  Or the morgue.

The hit man then staked out Tony’s Diner, an old rail car converted into a greasy spoon restaurant, on the corner of Lorain Avenue and West 117th.  Dennis liked to eat breakfast there.

But then the banks found that they could force the City of Cleveland into bankruptcy, and force Dennis Kucinich out of office.   So the hit was called off.

(By the way, of the thousands of people who have served as mayor in the United States, only three have been assassinated.  Mayor Carter Harrison of Chicago, the hero of the Haymarket Riots, was killed by a disgruntled office seeker.  Mayor Anton Cermak, also of Chicago, was killed by a bullet intended for FDR.  And, as you may recall, San Francisco Supervisor Dan White killed Mayor George Moscone, and Harvey Milk.)

In order to save Cleveland’s municipal power company, Dennis Kucinich stuck his neck out so far that the banks and the Mafia tried to kill him.  For the people of Cleveland, Dennis put his life on the line.

If the One Percent is so angry at you that they want to take you out, and they’re willing to enlist the Mafia to do it, then you are doing one heckuva good job for The People.

So I’m asking you again, as I did yesterday.  Please do whatever you can do to help Dennis Kucinich, before the absentee ballots get mailed out in his district next Tuesday.  And click here to do it.

Because Dennis Kucinich is a hero.  A real-life hero.

Courage,

Alan Grayson