Transcript || Annotation || RYMUR 89-4286-E-3-A-2
CONGRESSMAN LEO RYAN – A FACT SHEET – eleventh district, Democrat
53 years old; born in Lincoln Nebraska; career as high school teacher and principal
Does not list his religion as most other Congressmen do
His district is suburban, white collar, white; a generally Republican district, but not very Reagan-like conservatives. Before Ryan, liberal Republican Pete McCloskey represented Ryan’a area (San Bruno). His district went for Ford 53-47 in the election of 1976.
He was elected in 1976 by a solid 68-32 majority, though in 1974 he won by a whopping 78-22, so he is quite popular.
His is very ‘tight’ with Andrew Young, who was the keynote speaker at his big testimonial which some of us attended in 1976. He is considered a liberal, and his voting record, with only a few exceptions, is straight liberal, as follows:
- FOR defense spending cuts
- FOR chrome ban on Rhodesia
- FOR delay of B-1 bomber
- FOR consumer protection agency
- AGAINST construction of nuclear carriers
- FOR cuts to Korea (South) in military aid
- AGAINST private production of uranium technology
- AGAINST delaying implementation of tough anti-pollution measures (he is a very strong environmentalist)
He is supposedly interested in liberalizing the US policy with regard to South Africa, and worked with Andy Young in that regard.
He voted for military aid to Pinochet, and was against opening up the house assassination investigations. (King and JFK assassinations).
NOTE: the decision to keep military aid going to Chile passed the House 266-139, but most people voted for it because US was giving aid to “even more repressive regimes” (!).
From what Phyllis Houston told me, Ryan is in this thing because of Bob Houston’s father, who knows him, and apparently Ryan was the principal of the high school Houston graduated from.
Committees: International Relations (he is a member of two subcommittees of that committee, International Operations and International Organizations). He is also on the Post Office and Civil Service committee. He serves on the Postal Operations and Services subcommittee of the main committee.)
He is very friendly with the Bay area liberals like the Burtons, etc. Willie Brown’s endorsement of us probably had a strong effect on him.
SUGGESTION: PHOTOS OF RYAN BE TAKEN (posed with Dad, if possible), and the film be sent back to the US for immediate porcessing, duplication, and release to the media, along with our own story, which we can radio in to Georgetown or transmit via morse code to the USA. This should include a statement from Ryan about Jonestown.