Another day, another bizarre happening unfolds in our Nation’s Capital– specifically on the United States Capitol lawn, where 61-year old Florida postal worker Doug Hughes decided to fly a gyrocopter to deliver a message on campaign reform to Congress, according to reports from several sources including the Tampa Bay Times. Frankly, here at The Hill is Home we are glad no one, not even Mr. Hughes, was hurt in this weird but otherwise benign incident. Sending a message to Congress and getting yourself arrested may be a nuisance and a fun diversion, but it’s preferable to making a statement via suicide. In case you missed it, 22-year old Leo Thornton of Illinois decided to take his own life this past Saturday, during the height of the Cherry Blossom Festival crowds and in full view of visitors, in the building’s west front.
As with everything else, the best and most timely commentary can be reliably found on Twitter. Do you follow us on Twitter? We are @TheHillisHome and we’re pretty entertaining on there, or at least Thrillist thinks so.
Some jerk just landed a gyrocopter on my front lawn! pic.twitter.com/ntWUYhXKJ3
— CapitolHillFox (@CapitolHillFox) April 15, 2015
.@TB_Times steps right up and calls Hughes’ plan “insane.” http://t.co/6KtzE2mth2 pic.twitter.com/fDOP0YgIlw
— Julie Westfall (@JulieWestfall) April 15, 2015
“I’d like to send this to the Capitol in Washington by aeromail. Am I too late for the 1:15 auto-gyro?”
— Dave Stroup (@DaveStroup) April 15, 2015
.@RepBillJohnson finds out the “I’m a member of Congress” trick won’t get you through a crime scene #gyrocopter pic.twitter.com/G6wKUNPMEE
— Bill Clark (@clarkshadows) April 15, 2015
It’s a little odd that the Architect of the Capitol is tweeting about renovation while crazy stuff is going on right outside, right now.
— María Helena Carey (@TheMadameMeow) April 15, 2015
A2: Many people comment that the Dome sparkles now…as you walk or drive by, the LED lights are seen within the open scaffolding. #aiachat
— U.S. Capitol (@uscapitol) April 15, 2015
Anagram of Doug Hughes: HE’S DOUG UGH — Matt Cohen (@Matt_D_Cohen) April 15, 2015
Overheard in the newsroom: “What if it was full of anthrax?” “Or deadly spiders!” “Snakes on a gyrocopter?”
— Vaughn Sterling (@vplus) April 15, 2015
He might be from Florida, but I’ll bet he took off from Maryland. https://t.co/fZg3bmD0ki
— MD Driver in DC (@MD_Driver_in_DC) April 15, 2015