Journalists Arrested At Hearing By Order Of House Republicans

[Galraedia]

In a stunning break with First Amendment policy, House Republicans directed Capitol Hill police to detain a highly regarded documentary crew that was attempting to film a Wednesday hearing on a controversial natural gas procurement practice. Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, can be heard at the end of the clip asking Republican Chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.) to halt the arrest and permit the man to film the public hearing

[gopiscrap]

1. Our nation needs to wake up

this is what it will be like if these gop stormtroopers get full rein of government. My mom grew uin Germany during the 30's and from her discription, this is how it started.

[Civilization2]

2. That is a disgusting abuse of power.

The reThugs now bar cameras from open public hearings?!? You can also now go to jail for filming a cop on the street, or even filming a building from the street! This is the closing down on a once open society by corporate military interests, and we need to see more resistance to this type of fascist corporate top-down dictatorial control by small-minded power-whore elitist 1%er a-holes.

[bayareaboy]

3. really nothing new here, folks

I am 63 now and this thing has happened since I could pick up a newspaper or read a history book of the times from the end of the forties. The rePUGs seen to think that they can abridge the media rights to free journalism. It probably is good though, because they might want the Police not only to arrest the folks but also to some sort of capitol punishment, as well.

God is good, I can have someone else take those folks away from me! Isn't that the way it should be for ME!

[chervilant]

4. hmm...

One DUer yesterday asserted that "every public hearing could quickly turn into a circus if anybody and everybody was allowed to film the event" and that there is &quot n)othing worse than a bunch of amateurs running around filming," since they "interfere with everyone elses (sic) ability to see and hear what is going on, " and "they take up space that keeps others from getting in and observing what is going on." After viewing this video clip, it's clear that Josh Fox was not blocking anyone's view of the proceedings, nor did he appear ready to 'run around' filming these proceedings. We might argue about whether he is an 'amateur,' but I personally don't consider an Oscar-nominated documentarian an 'amateur.'

I am concerned that ANY member of this website would start down the slippery slope of justifying this kind of fascist behavior, and I hope the Republicans who directed the police to arrest Mr. Fox reap the full consequences of their inappropriate infringement of this man's First Amendment rights.

[MACARD]

5. as this case involves Our First Amendment Rights I would Recomend Poking it towards

the Supreme Court of the United states for the Subcommittee's ruling to remove Josh Fox as Unconstitutional. lets also hope we can get some more Liberal Justices too, Justice Ginsberg wasn't looking to healthy at the SOTU.

just beware the rights we give to ourselves also apply to repugians, such as the NGA