Wilkerson: FBI targets Black politician

People in Massachusetts were shocked on Oct. 28 to see pictures of state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson being led away in handcuffs, arrested on alleged corruption. The only African American in the Massachusetts Senate, Wilkerson has represented the African-American community in the state Senate for 15 years.

Sen. Wilkerson has been a staunch fighter for the community and for many progressive causes. She was a leader in the struggle for same-sex marriage rights, heading the successful effort to repeal a 1913 law preventing out-of-state couples from marrying in Massachusetts “if the marriage would not be legal in their home state.”

The arrest and undercover operation against Wilkerson is a racist, sexist attack and an attack on all progressive African-American legislators and public officials. Michael Sullivan, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, claimed that the timing of the dramatic high-profile arrest one week before Election Day was “coincidental” even though the investigation had been going on for more than 18 months. There has been no indictment or presentation to a grand jury. Sullivan is a Republican who is known to activists here for having prosecuted the Plymouth 25 after the police assault on United American Indians of New England and their supporters in 1997.

FBI investigators also presented subpoenas to African-American City Councilor Chuck Turner and his staff, without any evidence of a connection between the allegations of wrongdoing and Councilor Turner or his staff. This must be seen as politically motivated harassment.

The witch hunt atmosphere against Sen. Wilkerson has continued with a unanimous resolution by the entire Massachusetts Senate, supported by Gov. Deval Patrick, demanding that she resign. Never before in its history has the Senate made such a request of a senator who has not been convicted of any crime. It is also completely hypocritical, as all of these senators do what Wilkerson is accused of, on a far larger scale, as a matter of routine. The notorious multimillion-dollar corruption surrounding Boston’s “big dig” project is just one example. (See Workers World, Aug 24, 2006)

Corruption by politicians occurs throughout the country with near-impunity. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin abused her office to get a relative fired, yet is still a candidate for vice president. Alaskan Sen. Ted Stephens has been convicted of corruption and continues to be supported by the Republican Party.

This FBI entrapment operation must be seen as an effort by the far right to use law enforcement agencies as political weapons in the elections.