Karl Rove Arrest

Catholic Workers Attempt to Arrest Karl Rove

Des Moines Catholic Workers Kirk Brown and Mona Shaw attempted to make a citizen's arrest on Karl Rove at the opening of his talk on Sunday, March 9, 2008, in Iowa City. Shaw and Brown stood before an audience that included about 200 protesters decrying Rove's appearance. The message of the protestors included written and spoken exposes of Rove's criminal and traitorous acts while shaming the University of Iowa for providing an imprimatur of legitimacy for a man who should instead be indicted.

In a speech at a protest rally held before Rove's talk, Des Moines Catholic Worker Frank Cordaro (who was also ejected from the hall two minutes into Rove’s appearance) submitted the reasoning behind the need to attempt citizen's arrests of Rove whenever the opportunity arose.

"Iowans need to ask the bigger question of why Karl Rove is an un-indicted war criminal and a free man. Isn't it because of our gutless Congress, unwilling to do its duty and start impeachment proceedings on Bush and Cheney and to start a war crimes case against Rove 'the architect' to Bush's War on Iraq? Isn't it because our judicial system, starting with the Supreme Court has been bought off or scared off by the national security interest running our country? And in our democracy when the Presidency is controlled by an criminal gang and the Congress and Judicial branch or our government are unwilling to do the right and just thing, it is left up to ordinary citizens to step into the breach and attempt to make citizens arrest of people like Karl Rove."

Brown and Shaw attempted such a citizen's arrest immediately following Rove's introduction. Both held and began to read a written "Citizen's Arrest Complaint" that cited Federal Criminal statutes and the Iowa Code. Before they could finish reading the complaint, they were taken into custody by University Police, informed they were under arrest, and removed from the hall. Both were released in the foyer leading to the hall and not allowed to return to the talk.

It is time for other citizens of conscience, as well, to take up the challenge and bear our civic obligation to attempt citizen's arrests of Karl Rove whenever the opportunity arises. This should be done so Rove will always know that even though he and his friends in the White House may have silenced the Congress and Judicial branch of our government, they have not silenced the People who know of their crimes and will not rest until justice is done.

Kirk Brown reads from a written complaint while attempting to arrest Karl Rove as officers begin to take him into custody. (Photo taken by staff of the Iowa City Press Citizen.)

Note its uncanny resemblance to the famous Norman Rockwell painting, “Freedom of Speech.”

Videos

Frank Cordaro speaks at a protest rally shortly before Rove’s talk.

“Guy in the white beard” (with a striking resemblance to Frank Cordaro) is ejected from the event in the first two minutes of this video that is also the first few minutes of Rove’s talk.

The Citizen’s Arrest Complaint