Former congresswoman will lobby for aliens -- the outer space kind

Most politicians who leave Congress become high-paid lobbyists, think tank scholars or go on the speaking circuit. But Detroit Democrat Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick isn't like most politicians. The former congresswoman is reportedly now dedicating her time to lobbying the federal government "to acknowledge the existence of extraterrestrials."

The Detroit News reports:

The Detroit Democrat and motherto former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will help preside over 30 hours of congressional-style hearings April 29 to May 3 at Washington's National Press Club. She did not respond to calls for comment.

Dubbed the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure, the public panel pledges to expose evidence of "extraterrestrial vehicles" and a government effort to deny sightings of such craft commonly called UFOs.

Stephen Bassett, executive director of the Bethesda, Md.-based Paradigm Research Group that is hosting the hearings, said he sought former members of Congress to interview dozens of witnesses in a style that harkens back to their work peppering witnesses in congressional hearings.

"I had invitations out to about 50 former members who I thought were likely candidates to participate, and Congresswoman Kilpatrick was the first one to respond," Bassett said.

Apparently the search for extraterrestrials is actually a bipartisan effort.  Also joining Kilpatrick at the forum: ex-Sen. Mike Gravel, D-Alaska, and former Reps. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., Darlene Hooley, D-Ore., Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., and Merrill Cook, R-Utah.