Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Mn) sponsored a 'press conference' in Washington on November 5 (Guy Fawkes Day), to demonstrate opposition to the proposed House health care reform legislation which comes up for a vote on Saturday, November 7. Many from the GOP House and Senate leadership were in attendance, and spoke at the rally. Bachman vowed there would be "not one Republican vote" for the bill. The purpose of the rally, which some 10,000 attended, was to put pressure on conservative Democrats and those in Districts (like VA-05) where there is a strong current of extreme conservatism. Attendees were encouraged to visit nearby Congressional offices to voice their opposition.

Approximately twelve of the protesters were arrested (accounts vary). They were charged with unlawful entry (entering a Congressional office and refusing to leave when told to do so) and/or disorderly conduct (yelling in the hallway outside an office) at Room 235 in the Cannon House Office Building. Room 235 is Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office for district business, not her Capitol building Speaker's office.

A man in the crowd wearing a clerical collar was seen to collapse and was taken by police to a nearby ambulance for medical attention. Some in the crowd misinterpreted this to be an arrest of a priest who had caused no offense--this spread as a rumor through the group, causing further consternation.

In addition to Bachman, speakers included House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Oh) and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va). The banner shown below (five feet by eight, one of two such at the protest) was visible to those on the podium. The banner inscription reads "National Socialist Health Care - Dachau, Germany 1945" and is illustrated with a photo of a pile of dead bodies.

None of the speakers commented on the banner at the time. Boehner's office later told Glenn Thrush of Politico, "Leader Boehner did not see any such sign. Obviously, it would be grossly inappropriate." A spokesman for Cantor also later said that the signs were "inappropriate."

A direct reference from classic anti-Semitism, not specifically related to the health care reform debate, was also seen at the rally (Rothschild is misspelled).

(Dave Sagarin, November 6, 2009)

Photos have been copied from Internet blogs, and were not credited.