ABC News should earn accolades for engaging in serious journalism in Denver: detailing how the party elite has been feted by an array of high-priced lobbyists at expensive parties. One of its reporters, however, was roughed up and arrested when he tried to take pictures of the democratic leaders and their donors. Producer Asa Eslocker was arrested outside the Brown Palace. In the meantime, Democratic leaders have said nothing in response to the complaints over the conspicuous consumption of lobbyist dollars at the convention.
Eslocker was arrested outside the Brown Palace while documenting a private breakfast held by a Democratic Party campaign committee, a meeting between Democratic senators and their donors.
For a video of the arrest, click here.
For additional stories, click here.
The array of lavish lobbyist parties once again shows how little commitment there is for serious ethics reforms in Congress. It would have been an easy thing for Democratic leaders to tell lobbyists that such parties were not welcomed and to ask members not to attend the parties. However, they know that voters will again forgive their little excesses in the red state-blue state fixation of American politics. Even with ABC’s effort, there has not been even a whimper of regret from the DNC or leadership over the issue.
etc etc etc – niblet aka dundar aka martha aka martha h aka bartlebee aka zakimar aka cromag’non’man aka jim winchester
http://jonathanturley.org/2008/07/28/getting-right-with-god-church-shooter-allegedly-targeted-knoxville-church-due-to-its-liberal-views/
mespo727272 1, July 29, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Patty C:
Unless we see more, you’ve won with the “under” bet since he only went for 7 hysterical replies. I am guessing more is to come, but I am willing to concede defeat. I also think we should nominate Gyges for the Euphemism Award after our hero’s diatribe against him for something he didn’t say and in response to a question to someone other than our comical friend. “Wordy”, how’s that for avoiding the
real thing? Bravo Gyges! I haven’t wanted this to be competitive, but in my sport we do know victory is at hand when we get into the head of the opponent. We’re there and it’s vast, desolate, and scary. Yikes!
jonathanturley 1, July 30, 2008 at 8:01 am
BARTLEBEE:
I have removed three of your comments which included foul language directed at another person. This site is committed to civil discourse. I do not want to bar or censor anyone on a site that has free speech focus, but we need to maintain a minimal standard of civility in discourse. Also, I would appreciate it if you would try to combine some of your comments rather than have four or five one-line comments following in one after another. The problem is that there is a limit on the number of comments which appear on the opening page. We welcome continued exchanges and dialogues. However, having four comments in an uninterrupted line prevents other comments from being visible for the other readers on the home page comments column.
JT
BARTLEBEE 1, July 30, 2008 at 2:07 pm
No problem JT.
Since you permit bloggers like mespo and patty to attack new bloggers, unprovoked, and litteraly badger them until they finally retort with some uncivility of their own, and then penalize the blogger who dares respond to the non stop stalking attacks of your two favorite friends, I will do you one better.
I’ll leave your blog and never post in it again.
You guys spend your days damning the right for cronyism, yet clearly it is a dual standard when it comes to your own.
Notice not one word to mespo or patty, about their non stop attacks on me.
Not one word about how they follow me from thread to thread, insult me, harrass me, demonize me, and generally try and interfere with my comments to other bloggers.
Just let them piss me off enough to wear I might use some questionable language, and then walla. Here comes the teacher to chastize me for responding to these two GOONS you keep on hand to drive out anyone who won’t goosestep to the blog beat.
This isn’t a vehicle for free expression, nor does the free speech you so loudly proclaim on Countdown exist here.
What you have here, is an “ECHO CHAMBER”, where bully liberals like messpo and patty c, are permitted to drive out new bloggers by badgering them until they either leave, or react in a way that draws your rebuke.
Well, you can “say” you don’t like to censor all you want, but you just censored me, and without so much as an inkling of alluding to the bloggers, who harrassed me until I finaly let loose with some bad language, obviously to try and discourage them from talking to me.
I don’t talk that way, it should have been obvious to you that my intent was to make it unpleasent for them to keep harrassing me.
But apparently that was neither visible to you, or you just didn’t care. Either way, I won’t hang out in an ECHO CHAMBER, where left WINGNUTS like Patty and your pal messpo, are permitted to badger bloggers, but responses from those bloggers are censored and stifled.
I really thought you believed the stuff you say on Countdown, and who knows, maybe you do.
You just don’t practice it yourself.
So I will bid you good morning sir, and leave you to your ECHO CHAMBER, so you guys can “talk” about free speech.
😀
Oh… and in case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight.
****************
When are you leaving-again? So we can mark our calendars in gleeful anticipation…
I’m astonished that strongly partisan discussion continues in this thread that is so obviously about a ground-less arrest. What convention it occurs at matters just about as much as the party the reporter personally voted for in the last election. It’s about an improper police action – not about Chenney-Bush (unless they were designated as illegal enemy combatants, eh?!).
I’m surprised there was so little discussion about what really mattered, such as the alleged grounds for arrest, what was the original complaint (or order?), what law was supposedly violated, and what’s the current status of the lawsuit being brought against the police since they were released without having been charged? Were there certain areas the press was told to stay away from? If so, says who? Did the camera resemble a gun (I’m being sarcastic)? Etc., etc.
On the other hand, I liked the discussion of protective riot gear for rioters. That really should be developed more if police brutalities/injustices continue to occur. We certainly have the right to defend ourselves, and also peaceably assemble, and if the cops don’t like it, we’ll move right along into showing them what a not-so-peaceable assembly looks like – along with that other right – the one about bearing arms. The whole idea of guaranteeing the right to peacable assemble was to avoid all other far worse alternatives – duh!
Civil rights were invented to prevent abuses of government – to enumerate for its citizens things the government CANNOT do. If the government continues to not honor its contract, we have, ultimately, not only the right to seek damages in court – we may also take up the issue of REPLACING that government. Read the Declaration of Independence sometime. I don’t think we’re too far off from such a special time again if fundamental civil rights (basic due process in arrests, searches and seizures, etc.) continue to erode.
I’m really not an abolitonist – but if we’ve become a country where it’s OK for cops to go around brutalizing and arresting essentially peaceful and orderly citizens and charging THEM with committing the crime — I for say we can do better. I don’t have problem with authority – just with corrupt authority.
“I appreciate what you wrote. I really think you may get your heart broken. I hope very much I am wrong about that.”
Jill,
After last night’s speech, in the immortal words of the Monkees:”I’m a Believer.” It was the best political speech I’ve heard in my lifetime. Beyond the rhetoric, however, it showed a great intellect who understands the needs of the country and politics. My heart may yet be broken, even if he is elected, but I do right now believe that he has the makings of a wonderful President.
That it comes on the anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech makes it all much sweeter. Back then I was working my way through college and was told by my employer that I would be fired if I took the day off and went to Washington. I had to watch it on TV. It’s a decision I regretted and later made up for with personal activism.
If America can pull this off, I really think that life will substantially change for the US and the entire world. If McCain wins, then so will real fascism. This is what I feel. These are my emotions. My life experience and my analytical sense makes it less of a certainty and more of a decent probability. In the end I always try to go with my emotions and my hopes. They give me a purpose and so far have kept me alive. Nevertheless, your comments are as always well taken, prescient and may well be true.
Mike
For anyone interested, this week on Lewis Black’s “Root of All Evil” Patton Oswalt did a great take on the problems with “Blue States”
The “Red State” shtick was same old, same old, but Patton Oswalt was spot on in confessing the sins of the Blue States.
I am a big fan of the ACLU. They stand up for anyone who is treated illegally. NO matter who the victim is and no matter who the perpetrator is. This is a government problem, but I still think Obama is our best chance to protect our Constitutional freedoms and to repair what we have lost. The DNC is not immune from our criticism and they should be called out. Jill, I do think that Mike will not get his heart broken. Will everything be fixed? Not likely, but we have to start somewhere. Let’s walk before we run, but lets start walking towards the protection of the Constitution.
One more thing, Rick, it is the DEMOCRATIC PARTY. Stop listening to Fox News and the far right media and use your head.
Here’s an update on this story:
“Civil rights groups also reacted today saying Eslocker’s arrest is the latest in a series of incidents at the DNC that exemplify an assault on the First Amendment.
“Arresting a reporter for simply doing his job is both unconstitutional and un-American,” said Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union. “That free speech is curtailed during the Democratic National Convention underscores the need for continued protection of civil liberties, regardless of the party in power.”
Reporters Without Borders echoed calls for the charges to be dropped.
“The use of unnecessary force and the arrest of a journalist who was reporting an important political story is deeply troubling and unacceptable,” the group said.”
Mike,
I appreciate what you wrote. I really think you may get your heart broken. I hope very much I am wrong about that.