Exclusive interview: Grounded gyrocopter pilot won't end protests

Fredreka Schouten | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Gyro pilot Doug Hughes returns to DC via car Doug Hughes, who landed a gyrocopter on the U.S. Capitol lawn April 15, heading back to Washington via car.

WASHINGTON — Doug Hughes, the Florida postal worker who landed a gyrocopter on the U.S. Capitol grounds last month and set off alarms about airspace security, made a lower-key return to the nation's capital Wednesday.

He arrived by car, wearing a GPS-enabled ankle bracelet that transmits his every move to federal authorities. He's no less passionate, however, about the cause that could cost him his job and freedom — overhauling the nation's campaign-finance system and ending what he sees as the rampant corruption on Capitol Hill.

"Overall, Congress is in it for the money," Hughes declared during an interview as he headed toward Washington where he's scheduled to be in court Thursday. "They are in it for themselves. They are doing what special interests tell them to do, and we've been cut out of the political process.

"But we are the political body that has power over Congress, and we can bring this thing back," he said.

Late Wednesday, federal prosecutors announced a six-count grand jury indictment against Hughes. He was charged with two felonies — operating an aircraft without a license and flying an unregistered aircraft. He also was indicted on three misdemeanor counts of violating national defense airspace and one count of improperly putting the U.S. Postal Service logo on his gyrocopter during his protest.

He faces up to 9 1/2 years in prison.

Hughes, 61, has become a celebrity of sorts, particularly among the community of activists who have been laboring for years to reduce the influence of big money in U.S. elections.

Hundreds have sent letters and emails to him since landed he landed his tiny aircraft on the West Front of the Capitol on April 15. During his brief visit, he's staying at the Capitol Hill home of the co-founder of the anti-war group Code Pink. He wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post last week, expressing "disgust" for the unlimited money swamping U.S. elections. A PR firm, ReThink Media, is providing pro-bono help to promote his activities.

His dangerous act of civil disobedience even made David Letterman's Top 10 list this month as the No. 1 question "dumb guys" ask the president: "When will you return my gyrocopter?" (For the record, federal authorities confiscated it, and Hughes never expects to see it again.)

Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard law professor and a leading voice on campaign reform, emailed Hughes after his arrest and "thanked him for his service," Lessig told USA TODAY.

Sometimes, Lessig said, "you need outrageous behavior to draw attention to the outrageousness of the existing system."

For his part, Hughes is using every bit of notoriety from his stunt to highlight what he views as solutions, ranging from measures to replace big campaign contributions with taxpayer financing to a proposal that would require federal contractors to disclose their political spending.

Hughes, a slender man with graying hair and boyish enthusiasm, seems an unlikely figure to undertake such a bold move. The father of three from Ruskin, Fla., said he became increasingly alarmed about the role special interests play in Washington and the revolving door between Capitol Hill and lobbying firms.

He began planning his escapade more than two years ago. He bought a gyrocopter — sort of a motorized, flying tricycle exposed to the elements — and learned to fly it.

A friend in whom he had confided alerted the Secret Service back in 2013, and an agent interviewed him that October. He said he did not share details of his plans, but acknowledged he owned the aircraft and planned a protest using it. He also insisted that he had no violent intentions.

Hearing nothing else from authorities, he kept moving forward with his secret operation.

Hughes alerted his local paper, The Tampa Bay Times, of his plans before driving the craft to a small airport in Gettysburg, Pa., and flying his solo mission to Washington. He buzzed low over the National Mall and landed, carrying 535 letters about campaign-finance reform that he intended to deliver to all 535 members of Congress. He was immediately arrested.

Hughes said he'll "never do anything like this again." For starters, he suspects he will be barred from every piloting any kind of aircraft again.

"Was it worth it? Absolutely," he said. "I don't know how many hundreds of thousands of Americans have given their lives for the cause of freedom. Right now, there is a huge threat from within -- that our government is shifting to becoming a plutocracy."

Hughes is uncertain about his immediate future.

The Postal Service has put him on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of an internal investigation, said agency spokeswoman Darlene Casey.

Hughes holds out hope of striking a plea deal with the feds. After all, there were "no injuries, no property damage and no intent do harm," he said.

But if the case goes to trial, Hughes said: "I don't believe a jury of 12 people is going to convict me of a felony when my intention was not do anything except to get Congress to work for the people."