RUSKIN, Fla., Dec. 24 (UPI) — Douglas Hughes, the pilot who landed a gyrocopter on the Capitol lawn in April in a protest stunt supporting campaign finance reform, announced he plans run against U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., in a Democratic primary.
Hughes, 62, said in a court filing Wednesday he planned a “strong ground game” and would “not engage in aerial civil disobedience’ in his campaign to defeat Schultz, who is chair of the Democratic National Committee and among the most highly visible Democtratic legislators in Congress.
But one obstacle involves Douglas’ residence — he currently lives in Ruskin, Fla., which is not a part of the 23rd Congressional district he seeks to represent. A condition of his freedom after his guilty plea in the gyrocopter incident maintains he cannot leave Hillsborough County, the county of his residence. Last week he requested he be allowed to travel throughout Florida.
Hughes pleaded guilty in November to the felony charge of flying without a license, although he said he sought to raise awareness of the negative influence of money in politics through his stunt. His request to travel the state made it clear he would attempt a congressional run.
“She is the poster child of establishment politics. She runs the Democratic Party. She’s the chairperson for the Democratic National Committee and she’s indulging in power politics. Do you think anyone who would risk their life as I did is going to go up there and get absorbed into the system and become as corrupt as everyone up there? It’s not going to happen,” Hughes said.
Of his conviction, for which he may still face jail time, Hughes added, “I’ve got an ankle bracelet. I am a felon. I wear that as a badge of honor and if she says you’re a criminal, my reaction is we should all be criminals if that’s what it takes to get the money out of politics and restore democracy.”
Schultz has offered no comment thus far.
