reporter arrested for asking giuliani aide a question after debate

from drudgereport.com

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3dd_1181140608&p=1

Matt Lepacek of the 9/11 conspiracy outlet 'Infowars' confronts Rudy Giuliani pollster Ed Goeas in the spin room after the 6/5/07 Republican debate in Manchester. He is arrested; later, his colleague Luke Rudowski is led outside by police. Rudowski is let go and explains what just happened.

http://www.jonesreport.com/articles/050607_reporter_arrested_giuliani_orders.html
Freelance reporter Matt Lepacek, reporting for Infowars.com, was arrested for asking a question to one of Giuliani's staff members in a press conference. The press secretary identified the New York based reporter as having previously asked Giuliani about his prior knowledge of WTC building collapses and ordered New Hampshire state police to arrest him.

Jason Bermas, reporting for Infowars and America: Freedom to Fascism, confirmed Lepacek had official CNN press credentials for the Republican debate. However, his camera was seized by staff members who shut off the camera, according to Luke Rudkowski, also a freelance Infowars reporter on the scene. He said police physically assaulted both reporters after Rudkowski objected that they were official members of the press and that nothing illegal had taken place. Police reportedly damaged the Infowars-owned camera in the process.

Reporters were questioning Giuliani staff members on a variety of issues, including his apparent ignorance of the 9/11 Commission Report, according to Bermas. The staff members accused the reporters of Ron Paul partisanship, which press denied. It was at this point that Lepacek, who was streaming a live report, asked a staff member about Giuliani's statement to Peter Jennings that he was told beforehand that the WTC buildings would collapse.

Giuliani's press secretary then called over New Hampshire state police, fingering Lepacek.

Though CNN staff members tried to persuade police not to arrest the accredited reporter-- in violation of the First Amendment, Lepacek was taken to jail. The police station told JonesReport.com that Lepacek is being charged with felony criminal trespass.

Lepacek did receive one phone call in jail which he used to contact reporter Luke Rudkowski. According to Rudkowski, Lepacek was scared because he had been told he may be transferred to a secret detention facility because state police were also considering charges of espionage against him-- due to a webcam Lepacek was using to broadcast live at the event. State police considered it to be a hidden camera, which led to discussion of "espionage."

Wearing a webcam at a press event is not an act of espionage. Alex Jones, who was watching the live feed, witnessed Lepacek announce that he was wearing a camera connected to a laptop that was transmitting the press conference live at approximately 9:20 EST. When Lepacek announced that he was broadcasting live, Giuliani staff members responded by getting upset at his questions and ordering his arrest.

Freedom to Fascism reporter Samuel Ettaro was also dragged out after asking a question on Giuliani's ties with Cintra and Macquerie, two foreign contractors involved with the contentious Trans-Texas Corridor under development in Texas.

The entire incident took place in a large press auditorium, apart from the debate stages where authorized media were able to question candidates and their handlers.

Since when do campaign operatives have the power to order state police to arrest someone on false charges or arbitrate who has the right to conduct journalism, a right guarded by the Constitution?

A warning to the press-- if candidates or police don't like your questions, you could be arrested for trespassing and even espionage in the new Orwellian America.

The state police in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where the arrest was made, confirmed that Lepacek is in custody on charges of criminal trespass. Police said information on who filed the trespass complaint was not yet available and would be filed in the police report.

It is clear from talking to multiple eyewitness, as well as the live webcam, that there could not have been a complainant who originated police action, because it happened spontaneously. The police need to be very careful about violating the Bill of Rights and falsely charging someone with a felony crime. This constitutes extreme official oppression and is a total violation of the reporter's civil rights. It would have been bad enough if the reporter would have just been thrown out, but to arrest him when he had a valid press pass and CNN protested his arrest is an outrage.

The arrest-- which clearly violated the First Amendment-- was recorded from two separate camera angles, including a live feed recorded remotely-- so the episode is on record in the event that police destroy or lose tapes seized from Lepacek in attempt to obfuscate the facts of the incident.

 

all the "wacko" did was ask a question. the guy he was asking the question to was engaging him, infact he was asking "show me your documentation". the reporter offered to show him the documentation, but that is when the police came - giuliani's aide didnt walk away - he was talking to him. its not like he was being stalked or assaulted by the "wacko". the police "calmly escorted him out" in handcuffs, to their car and than to the police station, where the police charged him with felony criminal tresspass, even though he had legit press credentials.

apparently guiliani had told peter jennings in an interview that he was told in advance that building 7 was going to come down. that was the documentation that the reporter was trying to show him.

 

the guy had a legit press pass - he had every right to be there. explain to me how asking a question constitutes "stalk and harass"?

and explain to me how asking a question gets someone arrested.

 

the first amendment guarantees freedom of speech and asking a question is part of that freedom. how is asking a question of someone who works for someone running for president being a "prick"?

if the guy was so offended or thought he was being threatened, harassed or stalked he could have walked away, but he didnt - in fact, he was talking to the reporter.

he should be crying lawsuit - he was arrested for asking a question - im no law-dude, but that seems to be a violation of the 1st amendment, which you are so quick to dismiss.

 

actually, he was verbally insulting him, calling him a coward, a liar and i think he was about to say thief before he got popped in the mouth. he wasnt asking any questions.

the guy that got arrested was just asking a question - he wasnt getting personal.

still waiting for you to explain how asking a question should get someone arrested.