Boehner's Golf Game Interrupted by Occupy Irvine, SEIU, MoveOn Protesters

Not even the golf course is safe.

About 60 left-wing activists with the "Occupy" movement in the Los Angeles area swarmed an Orange County golf course Monday morning where House Speaker John Boehner was teeing off at the Pelican Hill Golf Club.

"He knows he can't go anywhere without the people going with him," said Rick Jacobs, founder of the progressive group "Courage Campaign."

"I hope that even while he's up there, raking in millions in cash, he knows there's people here and everywhere."

"We're going to make clear that this isn't a funny time anymore. This is a real time. It's time for him to get busy on jobs and not on his golf game."

Rick Jacobs himself provides a first hand account of what happened via The Huffington Post:

About 60 of us met at 7:00 a.m. at a shopping center here in Newport Beach. Our numbers included friends and allies from among the Courage Campaign membership, California Federation of Teachers, (CFT) United Domestic Workers of America (AFSCME), SEIU 1877 (Justice for Janitors), IBEW, the Orange County Central Labor Council, UNITE HERE 11, MoveOn.org members, and folks from Occupy Irvine. We shuttled folks over to the entrance of the resort, where four or five security guards stood watch to check for, well, us. Several police vehicles were nearby and kept driving around, including a paddy wagon; I guess they felt sorry for us not having golf carts.

The energy was terrific. Ana, Eddie, Anthony and Arisha from Courage Campaign's staff stayed up most of the previous night making signs. The Labor Council brought more. AFL-CIO jobs signs turned up as did some MoveOn and #Occupy signs. Happily, our friends brought a couple of bullhorns, chants and two drums with drummers. What a raucous racket we raised starting at 7:30 a.m.!

Jacobs said he knew that the activists would never be able to meet the Speaker if they took the "direct approach," so instead, they rented a room in which four staff spent the night. Three of whom (one being Jacobs) then dressed as if they were golfers to gain entry to the club.

We took the hotel shuttle to the front gate where the protests were going on in fine form. After a few hesitations, we were admitted to the inner sanctum. And sure enough, there was the Speaker, wearing shorts, a red jacket and huffing away on a cigarette. After a few discussions with the amply present staff, we caught him walking back from a smoking break. Here's what happened:

The Daily Pilot added:

Jacobs and nearly 50 others drummed, chanted and —with the help of bullhorns — shouted the morning away on Pelican Hill Road, a quiet street off Newport Coast Drive.

They were calling for Boehner and Republicans to approve President Obama's $447-billion jobs bill, which stalled last week in the Senate.

Under the guise of having a tee time Monday morning, Jacobs was able to get into the golf clubhouse and speak with the Ohio representative and Republican leader.

He said he tapped the speaker on the shoulder. Boehner then turned and smiled until Jacobs said he was actually with the Courage Campaign, at which time Boehner turned and walked away.

According to the report, Jacobs was attempting to get Boehner to sign an online petition calling for Republicans to pass President Obama's American Jobs Act. Jacobs attempt was unsuccessful, however.