Reporters banned from Arizona House floor

[dbackjon]

Source: Tucson Daily Star

Claiming it's a matter of security, the state House on Thursday banned reporters from the floor who would not consent to extensive background checks.
Several media organizations who routinely cover the Legislature, including the Associated Press, the Arizona Republic, the Capitol Times and Capitol Media Services were given until Thursday morning to agree to let House staffers check not just criminal and civil histories but also prior addresses and even driving records.

House officials said similar consents would be required of any journalist who is even at the Capitol for a day to cover specific local issues.But the real sticking point came when the House leadership revealed a list of specific prior offenses which would disqualify a reporter from having the floor privileges that have been available for at least 34 years, if not longer. These include any felony within the past decade and any misdemeanor within the last five years, excluding drunk driving and other traffic laws.

It does allow exceptions but not for crimes ranging from violence, assault, rape, extortion, bribery and eavesdropping to trespass.

Part of what makes that last crime of note is that Hank Stephenson, a Capitol Times reporter, has a conviction of second degree trespass, the result of what was described as a bar fight. And it was Stephenson who wrote an extensive story about Speaker of the House David Gowan's travel's at state expense, much of it in the congressional district where he wants to get elected.
Gowan eventually had to refund the House more than $12,000.



Read more: http://m.tucson.com/news/government-and-politics/reporters-banned-from-arizona-house-floor/article_6658ea72-fce6-11e5-9ff0-57651b885ec8.html?mobile_touch=true

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They love the 2nd Amendment, but crap over the rest of the Constitution.

[KamaAina]

1. Got fascism?

[busterbrown]

3. For many years now..

[hibbing]

4. My first thought

Gosh, what a screwed up country. These damn state legislatures controlled by Republicans. Just when I thought we had turned the corner in terms of equal rights for gays, they are all passing these idiotic "religious freedom" laws that let people discriminate against gays. It goes on and on and then there is the fascist leader of them all, and we all know who that is.


Peace

[elljay]

6. I was very against lobbying first for gay marriage

for this very reason. I think some more affluent gay people from places like California and New York who don't have to worry as much about discrimination were thinking about their personal interests in having their relationships protected rather than on what would be best for the majority of LGBT people in this country. Had they first focused on getting us equal rights nationally, we wouldn't now be dealing with this crap from the state legislatures. Maybe I'm missing it, but where is the HRC's campaign for equal rights? I don't see anything approaching the level of the marriage campaign.

[Dont call me Shirley]

12. Thanks to Reagan/bush tag team.

[Javaman]

2. the repukes aren't even trying to hide their bullshit anymore. nt

[Delver Rootnose]

5. Well actually it sounds like they...

...are by preventing the press, especially opposition press, from reporting effectively.

[AxionExcel]

7. "All your 1st Amendment rights are belong to us." - RepubliWankers (R)

[Kelvin Mace]

8. If only politicians were held to such standards

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Trespass? Not even a crime in Britain - it's a civil matter

That's such a petty thing to list along with all the violent crimes that it's the obvious aim of this all - retaliate on Stephenson. Drunk driving is far worse, but they'll give that an exception (because some of them are guilty of that, perhaps?)

[dhill926]

10. grounds for a lawsuit?

I don't know....but this is truly fucked up...

[LiberalFighter]

11. Yet they will allow state legislators on the floor with the same issues.

Reporters need to do more extensive investigative reports. Even if they don't relate to politics.

[Feeling the Bern]

13. *sigh* Arizona. My home state. More black eyes for the country from Phoenix.