
Candidate Kucinich was the mayor of Cleveland when his brother was arrested in 1978 and charged with robbing a bank. As the mayor was staging a public protest against one bank by withdrawing his savings, Perry Kucinich entered another bank wearing a red knit cap and sunglasses. His note to the teller was written on the back of a Christmas card. It read, "All your $ or die."
Perry Kucinich was spotted immediately after the robbery reading the card and smiling. He was arrested, but eventually declared unfit to stand trial. Shortly after his brother's arrest, Dennis Kucinich told reporters that his brother had mental problems, including several attempted suicides.
Today, December 19, is the 29th anniversary of Perry Kucinich's bank robbery.