‘Gasland’ Journalists Arrested At Hearing By Order Of House Republicans

In a stunning break with First Amendment policy, House Republicans directed Capitol Hill police to detain a highly regarded documentary crew that was attempting to film a Wednesday hearing on a controversial natural gas procurement practice. Initial reports from sources suggested that an ABC News camera was also prevented from taping the hearing; ABC has since denied that they sent a crew to the hearing.

It is true that the crew was unable to get official credentialing permission the day before. However, it is also true that by longstanding precedent, journalists have been able to film regardless of credentials. Most important, it is true that this was a public hearing — and there is no reason the public should not be able to tape a public hearing, where all proceedings are part of the public record.

So a representative of the public was arrested for taping a public hearing.

I guess all those congressmen who wasted the public’s money reciting the Constitution back in January 2011 should’ve have actually paid attention to the document they were reading.