Site icon JONATHAN TURLEY

Conservative Protester Shouts Down Comey At Book Event

jonathanturley

440px-Comey-FBI-PortraitI have always marveled at the relativism of the most extreme voices in our public discourse.  As shown just yesterday, I have regularly criticized the failure of schools to discipline or expel students who prevent conservatives from speaking on campuses. This included my criticism of Howard University students who stopped former FBI Director James Comey from speaking.  Yet, Laura Loomer, a conservative activist, believed it was her right to stop others from hearing from Comey at an event promoting his book in New York City.  I felt Comey handled it well but it is beyond me how people like Loomer believe that they can prevent others from speaking or listening to opposing views.  While I have been highly critical of Comey, including a column out this morning, he has every right to be heard and these people came to hear him — not Loomer.

 

Laura Loomer identifies herself as an investigative journalist but decided that a good journalist would stand up and shout insults at a Barnes & Noble event.  Loomer screamed such things as “You’re going to get locked up” and denounced Comey as a criminal who would be “prosecuted for your transgressions.”

 

She yelled “You are not an ethical leader!” as she was dragged out.

It is distressing to see how people misconstrue preventing speech to be free speech — as did the Dean of Cuny Law School recently.
The book store did the right thing in leading Loomer out and Comey did the right thing in standing his ground and finishing with his comments.
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