Dozens show to support activist councilman
Matt Batcheldor
The Olympian
March 14, 2007
http://www.theolympian.com/101/story/68869.html

OLYMPIA -- Of the 42 people who signed up to speak at Tuesday night's
Olympia City Council meeting, three were there to speak against
Councilman TJ Johnson after his protest-related arrest.

Most of the rest came one by one to the microphone to praise Johnson,
who was arrested Sunday while protesting a military shipment at the Port
of Tacoma.

Other council members present did not comment about Johnson's actions
during the meeting. Mayor Mark Foutch was absent because he is attending
the National League of Cities conference in Washington, D.C.

Johnson was arrested Sunday afternoon when he crossed a police barrier
to deliver a police officer a copy of a "citizen's injunction" calling
for the shipment to cease. He was one of 23 people arrested Sunday
during the protest.

Many of them were at Tuesday's council meeting to support Johnson, who
is active in an organization called Olympia Port Militarization Resistance.

"My favorite thing about the City Council is sitting right there: TJ
Johnson," said Wally Cuddeford of Olympia, who was arrested during a
protest the previous week and again at a Tacoma City Council meeting.

Ken Schwilk, one of many members of Veterans for Peace who spoke, said
Johnson's move supports the troops.

"The whole process that was, has been going on there, was that we don't
want the troops to go," he said. "To me, that's a courageous step."

Molly Gibbs, one of the 23 arrested, also voiced her support.

"TJ is knowledgeable," she said. "He's very confident. Most of all, he's
extremely thoughtful in what he does. When he makes a decision, he
sticks with it. He does not waver."

Jim Ashey of Olympia said Johnson's actions were inappropriate because
he was elected as a nonpartisan candidate and should not pursue a
political agenda.

"TJ Johnson is an acute embarrassment to this community," Ashey said.
"It is far past the time for TJ Johnson to resign from City Council."

In an emotional speech, Johnson thanked the crowd.

"It would have been very, very easy for me not to get involved in this,"
he said. "It exposes me, it exposes my family, it exposes my council
colleagues. ... It would have been very easy, but it also would have
been very wrong."

Johnson said his oath of office requires him to fight the Iraq War
because it violates article six of the U.S. Constitution, which binds
the nation to follow treaties. Johnson said the Iraq War violates
several treaties.

"It's very simple: for me not to act to oppose the war would be a
violation of public office and require my removal from public office."

No City Council members spoke for or against Johnson. But Councilman
Doug Mah said in an interview Monday that "it's inappropriate for
elected officials to get arrested." Mah said the council shouldn't
consider any action against Johnson unless he is convicted. But he added
that "a conviction would make it much more difficult to hold public
office, even for a misdemeanor offense."

Johnson said to raucous applause Tuesday, "I have absolutely no
intention of resigning."

Matt Batcheldor covers the city of Olympia for The Olympian. He can be
reached at 360-704-6869 or mbatcheldor@theolympian.com.