Shackled Howie Hawkins appears in Syracuse City Court

Syracuse Post-Standard
Nina Wegner
2009 November 5th

Perennial candidate for public office Howie Hawkins entered Syracuse City Court in chains today after spending a night in jail after being charged with criminal trespass.

Hawkins was arrested around 1 p.m. Wednesday by Syracuse police outside the office of National Government Services at 400 S. Salina St., which houses the care claims office of Wellpoint Inc., a large health insurer. Hawkins said he was trying to enter the building to deliver a letter to the CEO of Wellpoint Inc. demanding that the CEO’s salary be cut and put into healthcare.

Judge Langston C. McKinney entered a plea of not guilty on Hawkins’ behalf. Hawkins was released on his own recognizance and was ordered to return to court on Jan. 7.

Hawkins said he was trying to deliver the letter on behalf of the healthcare reform group, Mobilization for Healthcare for All. He said he remained on the premises after Syracuse police warned that they would arrest him.

“It was to make the point,” Hawkins said. “What brought me to this point is that I’ve fought for public health care three times before, under the administrations of Nixon, Clinton, and now Obama.”

If an affordable public health care system is not immediately attainable on a federal level, he would work to bring it about on the state level, he said.

Hawkins, 56, of 303 Warner Ave., has run for public office and lost 15 times since he came to Syracuse in 1991. He lost Tuesday in his bid for the 4th District Common Council seat in Syracuse.