Man Who Landed Gyrocopter on Capitol to Protest Cash in Politics Faces more than 9 Years in Prison
Doug Hughes, a Florida man who made international headlines by landing a gyrocopter on the Capitol lawn, has been charged with six federal offenses but says that he isn't done protesting for campaign finance reform just yet.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that Hughes could face a maximum sentence of 9.5 years in prison if he is found guilty. The six charges consists of two felonies and four misdemeanors.
The felonies include operating an aircraft without the proper certification, and failing to properly register his aircraft. The misdemeanors include three counts of violating national defense airspace, and one count of operating a vehicle falsely labeled as postal carrier.
The last charge is a bit ironic given that Hughes is actually a mailman in the town of Ruskin, FL and he was attempting to deliver letters he had written to every individual member of Congress.
Hughes is currently in Washington D.C. in preparation for a court appearance on Thurs. May 21, where he will be formally arraigned. After his initial arrest after making the landing April 15, he was placed under house arrest and is currently on paid leave from his job as a postal worker.
Hughes undertook the daring landing in order to protest legal decision such as Citizens United, which allowed corporations and individuals to donate unlimited sums of money to political candidates.
USA Today notes that since his arrest, he has gained a following with campaign finance activists, and even had an opinion piece appear in The Washington Post.
He says that despite the possible legal consequences, he will not stop advocating for change. He said it was the least he could do when so many Americans have died throughout history for the cause of freedom.
