Question about Ayers stifled at press briefing

William Ayers

A question about President Obama's longtime acquaintances Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn was left unanswered at a White House news briefing when presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs declined to allow a reporter to ask a single question – implying even that he would be allowed only one question per week.

The incident developed yesterday when Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House, attended a briefing prepared to ask about Ayers and Dohrn, who provided controversy for Obama during his campaign because of their history of terrorist activities, and Ayers' stated unrepentant attitude.

Gibbs bypassed Kinsolving even while recognizing Fox for seven questions, AP and Reuters for six each, ABC for five, ABC radio for another four and the Washington Post for three, with about a dozen other reporters getting one.

Kinsolving cried out, "Just one question," toward the end of the briefing, and was rebuffed by Gibbs, who said Kinsolving had asked a question on Monday.

Kinsolving had been prepared to ask: "Tonight a Baltimore library is hosting speeches by well-known Chicago educators, former Weatherman Underground leaders Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn. Does the president have any word of welcome to this area for these his long-time acquaintances?"

WND recently reported the Obama Justice Department instructed San Francisco police officials not to comment after top law enforcement officers there signed a letter accusing Ayers and Dohrn of being directly behind the 1970 bombing of San Francisco's police station that killed one sergeant and wounded nine others.

At a press conference March 12 directed by activist Cliff Kincaid of America's Survival Inc, the leaders of the San Francisco Police Officers' Association made public a letter pointing a finger at Ayers and Dohrn that demands those responsible for the bombing be brought to justice.

"There are irrefutable and compelling reasons to believe that Bill Ayers and his wife Bernardine Dohrn are largely responsible for the bombing of Park Police Station," the officers stated in the letter.

The letter called for the U.S. to bring "those responsible for the murder of Sgt. Brian McDonnell and the injuries to other officers to the justice they have so long eluded."

But the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting the police group members who signed the letter received calls from the Justice Department and a local police chief telling them to remain silent.

Police Officers' Association President Gary Delagnes confirmed to the Chronicle his union was contacted by federal investigators telling them they had an "active investigation and should not be commenting on the case."

Delagnes told the newspaper his group's letter was meant only to show support for the family of the slain officer and to help them "bring closure to the case."

No one has ever been charged in the bombing. Ayers has denied involvement. In a November interview with the New Yorker, Ayers said, "We killed no one and hurt no one."

But a former FBI informant who reportedly infiltrated the Weathermen in the 1970s says Ayers described to him at length how Dohrn personally placed a pipe bomb outside the San Francisco police department Feb. 16, 1970.

Reports during the campaign cited Ayers' alleged participation in various other bombings, including several in Washington.

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