Thursday, May 13, 2010
Legislature House Speaker Faints, Troopers Drag Away Troublemaking Reporter for Taking Pictures
Posted by Jeff Woods on Thu, May 13, 2010 at 11:44 AM
- Erik Schelzig: Who does he think he is?
On his way to the Legislative Plaza cafeteria, he smiled and said he was OK. Just a case of low blood sugar, he said. He returned to the House podium this afternoon.
"Like a dummy, I didn't eat breakfast this morning," Williams said. "I've been diabetic for 20 years and that's only the second time that's happened, that my blood sugar got that low. But I'm fine."
In other news, state troopers dragged the AP's Erik Schelzig out of the chamber as he was using his cell phone to take pictures of the collapsed Williams. Taking pictures isn't against House rules, but the troopers apparently got a little carried away in the excitement. A few legislators were in Schelzig's face about it, too. One of them called him "a piece of shit." Another one threatened to "whup his ass."
"They stormed in with the troopers and everything and dragged him out," Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, told us. "The speaker was passed out on the floor and I guess some people thought it was disrespectful" to take pictures of it.
Something tells Pith these lawmakers might live to regret starting this little fight with the press.
Update: The press corps is in a tizzy over all this and threatening reprisals. "These are the tactics of Afghan opium warlords when they don't like shit," one writer says. Pith isn't sure we can control this volatile situation.
Comments (13)
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The laws that apply to all of us apply to state troopers as well. Grabbing someone and dragging them from a room where they are legally present is either assault, or aggravated assault. Both Schelzig and AP probably have too much class to file charges...but still...
Can we find out who were the unidentified state legislators who cussed a reporter for doing his job?
I'm sure the Secret Service guys were at a high emotional pitch the day Reagan got shot, but you didn't see them whirl around and punch out the three network cameramen who calmly documented the whole episode!
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I thought the legislators hated Williams anyway, so what's the big deal. Maybe they hate the press more. But that Schelzig is a nice boy.
Good thing this didn't happen to Kent Williams last year. There were some who wished him harm and said so after his speakership coup. Can't imagine that trooper attack on Erik Schelzig. Nicer guys don't happen.
I doubt that acting like slimey Paparazzi with a cell phone camera is part of Erik Schelzig's normal job duties at AP.
One of these days someone is going to sue these 35,000 dollar a year gestapo agents. By chance someone like me will hopefully be on the jury.
Oldhickorytony: You're a reporter, assigned to cover the legislature. The Speaker of the House drops to the floor in front of you. You have a camera. What do you do?
Your answer is that you'd walk away without taking a picture to document the NEWS that is happening right in front of you?
In that case, you would soon be an unemployed former reporter... and rightfully so.
When the head of the state house (arguably the third most powerful politician in the state) takes a header right in front of you, you cover the story with all the newsgathering tools at your disposal, whether that includes a pen and paper, a still camera, or videotape. Assholes who manhandle you as you are trying to do your job at a public event on public property are breaking the law.
If you can't see the difference between what Erik Schelzig was doing, and some bozo who's taking pictures outside a Hollywood restaurant of a starlet who forgot her panties, nothing I can say is likely to help you. We can all be thankful you don't decide what gets covered, and how.
You might be right about Schelzig and the AP failing to file charges. However, I think not because they have "too much class to file charges." Rather, because they aren't prepared for that particular fight right now. When one takes on law enforcement and government, rightly or wrongly, its expensive, time consuming and the outcome is never certain.
No question that uniformed thugs need bridling. They deserve to receive themselves just what they've dished out to their victims. Schelzig and the AP need to lay a trap. Prepare, prepare. Then sock it to the bastards.
The 'Big Easy' fortuitously plucked one of the afore-mentioned bastards, Ronal Serpas, from among us. That was sort of a gift from God. Looks to me like HE's now appointed lieutenants for the next phase of action. Get busy and go for it, ya'll!
The reporter has every right to file a harrassment charge against Towns and assualt and battery charges against the trropers and I hope he does. Reporters take these kinds of pictures of priavte citizens all the time. Do this Tennessee legislature bastards think they are some how above the average person?
And I thought Alabama's government was bad. (And it is - we just haven't seen THIS level of stupidity yet. But we WILL sooner or later.
P.W. McWhorter, Rainbow City, Alabama
The offended legislators were probably Dems. Remember, Williams is the traitor they used to fill the speakers role and they hope he is still usable for Dem causes. If I had to guess who used the language, it was probably Gary Odum. Isn't he the guy who drove all the way to East TN on Thanksgiving Day, two years ago, to broker the traitor deal with Judas Williams?
You know, whether you are Dem or Rep, you just can't respect a guy like Judas Williams? He sold out his own people. If you are Dem, you treat him for what he is, a LIAR. If you are Rep, you treat him for what he is, a traitor and LIAR.
Eric's as good as they get. Un-freakin'-believable. Well, sadly, not really. Hey, guess what legislators? The facilities where you meet belong to me just as much as they do to you. Gasp.
This group selected to work at the Capitol have a long history of
both not knowing and certainly not caring as to any rights those of the Tn Public have within these chambers. Both the Administrations as well as the leadership standing ready to protect and defend their
every action. State Troopers are there to bully anyone that gets out
of line(as they see it)! Don't expect any changes anytime soon.
