GOP Congressmen Put Constituents Who Asked Tough Questions On A ‘Watch List’

[TomCADem]

Source: Think Progress

In recent weeks GOP congressmen have resorted to all sorts of underhanded schemes to avoid interacting with their angry constituents back home over August recess. Now two Republican freshmen, Reps. Daniel Webster (R-FL) and Tim Griffin (R-AZ), are taking this trend one step further, using disturbing intimidation tactics and “watch lists” to discourage constituents from asking them questions:

Rep. Webster’s Winter Garden, Florida district office gave out a “Watch List” of six Floridians who had asked questions at Webster’s previous town halls. The list, with the header “For the Media,” included names, photographs, and questions that members of the media should ask them.

The Watch List itself doesn’t contain any information on who wrote it or where it comes from.The memos surfaced in Arkansas in connection to the office of Rep. Tim Griffin, and were traced back to Rep. Webster’s office.

With black and white photos that resemble police surveillance, some of them pulled from the individuals’ Facebook profiles, the memo is clearly meant to intimidate these six people and anyone else who might stand up and ask a question of their elected representative. At a Griffin town hall, staffers were handing out the Watch List to attendees, calling it their “homework.” Griffin staffers were also spotted taking photos and shooting video of attendees, creating an extra layer of intimidation.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/08/26/305501/webster-town-hall-watchlist/

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God forbid that constituents who are angry that Republicans tried to turn Medicare into a voucher programs see the light of day.

[ixion]

1. this is the freakin' problem with 'watch lists' and enabling acts

like the unPATRIOTic Act. They're abused. Always.

[SavWriter]

4. Agreed which is why I wondered why we

Renewed that damned Patriot Act and the Department of Homeland Spying?

[ixion]

5. 'we' didn't. Pols like this creep did.

[SavWriter]

7. We had the majority when President Obama was sworn in.

We had Democratic Majority in the Senate, and the House. We could have had them vote on a single piece of paper. We should have. Instead we knelt and worshiped at the alter of fear mongering, and voted to keep the damned PATRIOT Act in place. We were more afraid of looking soft on the made up war on Terror than doing the right thing. Besides, we have to keep all those contractors employed selling us equipment to secure ourselves against nothing.

[spin]

9. Governments love power over people ...

The War on Drugs and the War on Terror has offered the government a great opportunity to stifle political dissent in our nation. They are taking full advantage of this opportunity.

Soon I will be hesitant to point out on DU that our politicians appear to be bought and owned by the rich and the big corporations.

It is possible that if my grandchildren do something like that they might be "disappeared" or tortured as terrorists and at the best sent to a camp to have an attitude readjustment.

[SavWriter]

10. Twenty years ago, I would have disagreed.

Today, I would not. I can't find the link since my iMac melted down, and I have a new system up and running. But there was a story of a hacker being held under the PATRIOT Act. A juvenile, who was held without attorney or parental visitation. He was deemed a National Security risk, and they just locked him up.

Thirty years ago, that kind of story would be smuggled at great risk out of the USSR. Today, that kind of story is smuggled out of the USA. I wonder where I'll have to go to find freedom of expression, freedom of thought, and freedom from fear of political persecution?

[eShirl]

12. Mars?

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Is it fascism yet?

The problem with these tea morans is that they live in an alternate reality where corporate executives act rationally and beneficently out of enlightened self interest, where workers want their pay cut, where Muslims want to be converted and where America has the best health care system in the world and think anybody who doesn't buy in to that alternate reality is a dangerous subversive.

War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. Oh, yes, and the poverty of the masses is prosperity.

[Demeter]

3. And the People are Putting Stupid Congressmen on a Dump List

[BlueIris]

6. Think it doesn't happen on our side? nt.

[brentspeak]

13. Why don't you enlighten us? Where DOES it happen "on our side"?

[NM Independent]

14. If you're going to pull that equivalency BS, then you ought to provide a link. n/t

[AnnieBW]

8. I wonder if they miss Alan Grayson yet?

Isn't this Daniel Webster guy the one that defeated Grayson? I wonder if his constituents are feeling a bit of voter's remorse yet?

[eShirl]

11. holy shit

!