Testimony of Julie Rodgers before the House Judiciary

Subcommittee on Crime In the Matter of Eco-terrorism

June 9, 1998

Mr. Chairman, Members of the committee: Thank you for this opportunity to come before you
today.

My name is Julie Rodgers. I am a District Office staff member of Representative Frank Riggs of
the First Congressional District of California.

I have been a resident of Humboldt County, California for the past 19 years and have witnessed
the growing controversy regarding timber and natural resource issues within my own and
surrounding communities. Many mills have closed, close friends have lost their jobs, families
have split and been torn apart, fourth and fifth generation loggers have had to leave the state in
search of work, incidents of domestic violence and child abuse have greatly increased,
communities\’ economies have been devastated, and community resources have been depleted.

The escalation of friction, frustration, and violence has been exacerbated in large part by
repeated and prolonged invasions of our community by extremist or radical environmental
activist groups, their growing aggression, and blatant disregard for private property rights or the
law. Others will tell you specifics of their structure, agenda, and funding sources. I am here to
tell you what happened in the Eureka District Office of Representative Riggs on October 16,
1997. Unfortunately, this is but one example of the increasing incidents of unlawful, criminal,
and often violent activities many American citizens have been experiencing for years. With
permission, I will submit written testimony from my co-worker, Ronnie Pellegrini who is the
mother of two very young daughters.

At about 10:00 a.m. on October 16, 1997, I was in the reception area of our office in telephone
conversation with a staffer in our D.C. office. My co-worker, Ronnie was down the hall in her
office.

Two young adults entered our office and inquired if the Congressman was in. When I told them
no they stated they wanted to protest the proposed Headwaters Forest deal so I took a constituent
comment sheet from the credenza and began to date it.

Two men with their faces covered quickly entered the office pushing a dolly or hand truck with a
large hardwood tree stump and dumped it on the floor of our reception area. The resulting
crashing sound reverberated throughout the building shaking walls and rattling windows. (We
were later told by many of the people in the office building they had thought a bomb had gone
off, so significant was the noise.)

Four women followed closely behind the men with the stump, and hooked themselves together
around the tree trunk with four specially manufactured metal sleeves. My direct access to the
front door was blocked by the desk I was standing behind and there was no way for me to bar
their entry.

At least two men wore what I perceived as ski masks. They were dressed in dark clothing and
carried large plastic lawn bags full of saw dust, wood chips and shavings, and twigs which they
proceeded to spread around the stump, the women now locked around the stump, and our
reception area, including onto desks and equipment.

Ronnie, having heard the stump crash to the ground, came running down the hall. She later told
me that she thought a bomb had detonated and she expected to find me dead. The first images
she focused on in the reception area were the masked men.

I told our D.C. staffer, who was still on the phone to contact Capitol Police and asked them to
inform our Chief of Staff. Ronnie engaged our audible alarm. I next dialed 911. I wanted the
police to know what was taking place in case something happened to us. I looked up from the
phone and my eyes focused on dark gloves. I looked to the man\’s face. It was covered. I
stopped making eye contact with the intruders and I feared for my own as well as Ronnie\’s
personal safety.

One of the men who had entered the office with this group videotaped the events and had in fact
had the camera in my face. He moved over to Ronnie but she was not facing him. He put a
hand to her shoulder to adjust her so he could get a full face view of her into the lens. I started to
move in her direction not knowing what he meant to do to her.

Someone said they needed to leave as the police would arrive soon. Those not hooked around
the tree scattered. I noted Ronnie was then out of my line of sight and that concerned me.

Two of the intruders who had gone out of the front door reentered and went out of the side door
attempting to get out by way of a locked gate. They climbed up on the electric company meter
boxes and went over the sic foot brick wall to the sidewalk on the other side. The alarm was
blaring, all of our phones were ringing, the office was a mess.

The next thing I remember was seeing blue uniforms. Police had arrived and I could see them
just outside of our office in the building\’s lobby. I spotted Ronnie speaking with them and was
relieved she was safe.

My camera was in my car and I went out to retrieve it. I thought I should document the damage
for the Congressman and I wanted to find out who and how many were out in the parking lot. I
saw a local reporter for one of the news stations and about a dozen or so protesters.

Shortly after my return a Police evidence technician arrived to take photos and video. I went
down the hall to our District Director\’s office and as I called our Chief of Staff I looked out of
the window and counted about 30 more protesters walking toward our building. Soon there were
over 60 in front of our office.

I went into my office and called my husband as I didn\’t want him to hear about this on the radio.
Then I called my son\’s high school to request they divert him from coming to the office after
school.

These events happened very quickly. This was a well orchestrated attack/invasion on our office.
In a later deposition, one of the protesters arrested in our office stated she had been in on four
separate meetings having to do with planning this action on our office. They knew exactly what
they were doing and they intended to intimidate and frighten us to gain control of our office.
The situation was chaotic and frightening. I had to keep telling myself to stay focused and
remain calm through this whole ordeal.

Since that day we have been vilified, followed, and harassed. The van I was riding in while
attempting to depart another event weeks later was surrounded with people beating on the van,
shouting obscenities. At least one person called for the Congressman\’s assassination. Mr.
Chairman, members of the Committee, this terrorism of American citizens must stop. We can no
longer look the other way. These acts while committed under the auspice of a noble
environmental or political cause are still criminal acts and are perpetrated against specific targets
to affect a desired result. These are hate crimes. They are increasing. They cost communities
dearly and the cost to the victims is incalculable. Thank you for your time.