 President Clinton came to Philadelphia for a fundraiser October 2, 1998. Because he was to visit several places in the same general area both his supporters and detractors were spread throughout a several block radius for most of the event. The assault on Don and Teri Adams occurred just minutes after arriving in front of city hall where they encountered 150 Teamsters. Don was interviewed by NPR and then everyone began to march. The Clinton protesters were chanting, "Impeach Bill Clinton" and the Teamsters were chanting , "Impeach Ken Starr." Don and Teri repeated their chant perhaps 8 times when their signs were suddenly taken from behind them. Don and Teri turned instinctively and a crowd of Teamsters began to encircle them, pushing into them.
Don demanded that the Teamsters get back and then Teri saw John Morris. The crowd parted to allow him to pass and he walked up and rammed a hat on Don's head so low that it covered his eyes. The crowd charged at Don knocking both Don and Teri over -- as well as one of their own, Norma Bottomer (who later claimed that Don had punched her). At the same time, Mr. Morris punched Don. After Don was on the ground, about three layers of Teamsters surrounded him (but not completely because Norma's glasses were knocked off in the fall and as she attempted to recover them, she made a small area by Don inaccessible to her fellow Teamsters). Teri looked over and thought, "If I don't do something they will pile on top of Don and by the time the police arrive even they will not be able to stop Don from sustaining serious injury." She decided to get on top of Don to protect him and slow the momentum. Teri received seven or eight blows but the intensity of the assault definitely diminished, but not before one of them kicked Don full thrust in the cheek. Shortly thereafter, the police arrived and break up the fight. Don and Teri were taken behind a barrier where the press attempted to interview Don, but the police almost dragged Don to an area away from the press where they remained standing there with him. The media then questioned Teri and she answered them.
Several minutes after the attack on Don, Morris put a hat on an elderly man (a policeman testified to this at the last hearing for the Teamsters). He was knocked down and kicked, but the police react more quickly this time. In the video you can see them helping him up. The Teamsters yelled something at him and the man replied, "You were kicking me." Later they went after a balding man who was surrounded by four policemen, calling him "queen," "homo," etc. The Teamsters told him that he was looking for a fight. Though it is not on the video, the same police officer testified that Mr. Morris shoves them (the police) several times. Yet after all the mayhem he instigated, Mr. Morris was not arrested. Having chased away the last Clinton protester, the Teamsters took a triumphant march around city hall while the press interviewed Morris. During this interview Don was accused a few times of hitting women by Mr. Morris. The girl who accused Don of jumping in front of her and punching her in the nose is Heather Diocson (police detectives did not believe her, or the other two women, and therefore refused to charge Don). Five weeks later, Ms. Diocson filed a private criminal complaint. Five weeks after that the DA's office approved her complaint but denied the criminal complaints filed by the other two women. This decision was made at the top; DA Lynne Abraham, who received money from the Teamsters for her campaigns, is responsible for the approval. Don and Teri were told by a friend in the office that this approval was a political favor (to Morris).
As a result, Don faces criminal charges in Municipal Court on April 5, 1999. The charges include: Simple assault, Inciting a Riot, and Reckless Endangerment. Don was again accused, in the news, by the teamsters. The Teamsters waged a letter writing campaign to the Philadelphia Inquirer and The Daily News alleging that Don hit three women. Morris called Don crazy. Though the media reports that Don calls Morris crazy, this is untrue. Don never made such an accusation. On the day that the two Teamsters turned them selves into authorities, Mr. Morris accused Don, again on camera, of being in the mob and in on a plan with the Hoffa Teamsters to set him (Morris) up. Mr. Morris' allegation is that the Teamsters' vicious assault on Don is all a part of a conspiracy to make Mr. Morris look bad just before the Teamster December elections for which Morris was a candidate for vice-president. Morris threatened to sue Don. Don decided to file a private criminal complaint against Morris for assaulting Don because Morris punched Don, which is rejected by the DA's office. On March 3, 1999, Adams' appealed that decision. Apparently, the standard for charging Morris and two or three of the other Teamsters who can clearly be seen attacking Don is much higher than the standard for charging Don.
Also, Judge Meehan, at the February 10 preliminary hearing for the Teamsters, reduced the charge of aggravated assault against the Teamsters (which was the strongest charge) to simple assault. He was clearly biased in favor of the Teamsters as evidenced by the comments he made in court. Dr. Kevin L. Sterner of the physics department at the University of Pennsylvania (whose FreeRepublic.com screen name is "Physicist") has written an account of the February 10 Teamsters pre-trial hearing. Judge Meehan is the son of the man who headed the Republican Party in Philadelphia for at least the last 30 years until his death several years ago. Judge Meehan's brother now heads the party. Organized Labor has supported Meehan and the Republicans through campaign contributions and other donations and in return Meehan and the Republicans has supported organized labor. The strongest of all labor leaders in this city is, you guessed it, John Morris, President of Teamsters Local 115. It appears that there is a two-tiered system of Justice. John Morris should have been arrested the night of October 2, not only for the problems he caused Don but also for the danger he thrust upon the other protesters. Teamsters harassed, heckled and shouted obscenities at Clinton protesters throughout the rally, eventually physically assaulting them. Clinton protesters sometimes had to move to other locations to get away from them. Morris earlier got out of his car, blocking traffic to holler at elderly protesters.
Physicist had his sign removed by the Teamsters and was knocked down at the beginning of the protest. That sign simply said, "COWARD." Not a single protester said a word about Hillary and Chelsea; instead, they were chanting, "Impeach Bill Clinton." To be so abused by teamsters, and forced to suffer such blatantly false accusations, is a travesty. Don did not strike anyone. Teri was near him the entire time and says emphatically that he did not. Never for a microsecond were they concerned that such accusations would be proven by the video, because it did not happen. After one year of the President's lies and the smearing of the reputations of the innocent, we must face another set of lies and smearing of the innocent....
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