Gaddafi asked Kucinich to help save him - Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)

Kucinich speaks at Seattle Hempfest on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011. (Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com)

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, the Ohio Democrat who may make a U.S. House run from Washington state, was asked to come to Libya by the government of deposed strongman Muammar Gaddafi in the waning days of its hold on power, The Guardian reports.

Gaddafi hoped an appearance by Kucinich, the liberal firebrand, war critic and Hempfest speaker, could help him.

The Libyan government offered to pay all Kucinich's costs related to the trip, including "travel expenses and accommodation". On 22 June a letter sent to Libya's prime minister, Al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmoudi, by a US-based lobbyist for the regime, Sufyan Omeish, noted that Kucinich was "concerned that his personal safety in Tripoli could not be guaranteed". He preferred to conduct meetings with regime officials outside Libya.

Kucinich confirmed the request from Gaddafi's men to the London newspaper.

Kucinich, whose Ohio district will likely be eliminated because the Buckeye State lost two House seats due to declining population. Washington state will add a 10th seat, and Kucinich is considering moving here to continue his political career.