By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
On Friday I met with KING-5 News reporter Drew Mikkelson and Former FBI Agent Ray Lauer representing the Seattle Chapter of the Retired FBI Agent’s Association at the behest of its national headquarters, for interviews on this controversy. The story was featured on the medium’s 6:30 broadcast.
Leonard Peltier was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of FBI Agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams, both twenty-eight years old at the time. On the fortieth anniversary year of the deaths, Labor and Industries hosted the artwork of Leonard Peltier which sparked outrage among former FBI agents, the law enforcement community, and family members of the deceased agents.
In an interview, L&I’s spokesman Tim Church explained that his agency did not intend to further Peltier’s cause by displaying his art, yet his agency did just that by its promotion. The Washington agency further claimed that his paintings were part of the Native American contribution to the art during a Native American Heritage Month celebration. The agency was displaying a selection of other works, however displayed Mr. Peltier’s art more prominently in the main rotunda of the headquarters next to the main entrance. Moreover the government provided flyers and cards attached to the paintings directing the viewer on how to contact the gallery. Though I saw and photographed these promotional materials during my first visit to the headquarters, the department removed these prior to our arrival for the interviews.
Labor and Industries proffers that as a result of public sentiment expressed to it via a “few individuals” who voiced their objection to the art, it reportedly was going to “rotate out” Mr. Peltier’s paintings next week. At first the agency claimed that they would normally have been rotated out after a two week display, however the promotional flyer and agency’s website indicated they would be displayed from the second of this month until the thirtieth. At any rate the agency stated it would remove the paintings next week.
Mr. Lauer in his interview expressed his organization’s outrage that the State of Washington hosted the artwork of the murderer using taxpayer funds and facilities, to provide a free gallery for an imprisoned cop killer.
Here is a link to the KING-5 News Broadcast. Click on the below image to watch.
By Darren Smith
Video Source: KING-5 News
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