The union has accused the couple of involvement in planting a bomb on Feb. 16, 1970 on the window ledge of a police station — killing Sgt. Brian McDonnell and injuring eight other officers.
The accusation is undermined the chosen means of the union in being the charges — a letter to the conservative America’s Survival of Maryland. Moreover, it is based on the account of Larry Grathwohl, who works with the organization and claims that he infiltrated Weather Underground as an FBI informant. He insists that he heard Ayers confess. Ayers denies the allegation and says that Grathwohl was a “paid dishonest person.”
Bernardine Dohrn is the Clinical Associate Professor of Law and Director and founder of the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University Law School (my alma mater). Her bio lists her as “a child advocate who teaches, lectures and writes about children’s law, juvenile justice, the needs and rights of youth, and international human rights. ” She was a former leader in the Weather Underground.
The conservative sites have previously posted posted the basis for allegations against Ayers. For a prior interview tape of Grathwohl, click here where he talks about plans to kill 25 million people after the left arranging for North Vietnam, China, Russia, and Cuba to occupy the nation.
Yet, the police did not confirm a connection of the Weather Underground to the bombing, the letter of Feb. 24th by Union President Gary Delagnes, Vice President Kevin Martin, Secretary Tony Montoya, Treasurer Martin Halloran and Sergeant at Arms Christopher Breen insists that “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.”
Frankly, I do not see this one account by Mr. Grathwohl as sufficient to cause this case to be re-opened. The allegation has drawn considerable attention on the Internet, particularly among conservative sites that cannot get enough of Ayers. However, an account of a statement made decades ago is not a particularly compelling claim absent some new evidence.
For the full story, click here.