'Gasland' Journalists Arrested At Hearing By Order Of House Republicans

[Juana]

WHAT THE GODDAMN FUCK.

WASHINGTON -- In a stunning break with First Amendment policy on Capitol Hill, 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. Republicans also denied the entrance of a credentialed ABC News news team that was attempting to film the event.

Josh Fox, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Gasland" was taken into custody by Capitol Hill police this morning, along with his crew, after Republicans objected to their presence, according to Democratic sources present at the hearing. The meeting of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment had been taking place in room 2318 of the Rayburn building. Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), the ranking Democrat on the committee, is currently seeking to secure a procedural maneuver that would allow the detained film crew to re-enter the hearing, which is open to the public. Miller's motion is not expected to succeed.

Approximately 16 officers entered the hearing room and handcuffed Fox amid audible discussions of "disorderly conduct" charges, according to Democratic sources present at the arrest.


"Gasland" received strong critical acclaim and takes a critical eye toward the practice of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," a process in which several tons of highly pressurized water and chemicals are injected into the ground, allowing valuable natural gas to escape. The practice is decried by ecological experts for destroying ecosystems and polluting groundwater. The energy industry keeps the actual content of fracking chemicals secret.

Fox had hoped to film Wednesday's hearing for a follow-up to "Gasland." A colleague of Fox's at his production company was unable to comment on the morning's events, but HuffPost expects a statement soon and will update this story accordingly.

Fox did not have formal Capitol Hill credentials, but such formalities are rarely enforced against high-profile journalists. Temporary passes are easy to obtain, and if Republicans had objected on procedural grounds, they could have simply sent the the crew to the front desk, rather than ordering police to arrest journalists. The right to a free press is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Documentary crews are almost never denied access to public meetings of elected government officials.

A separate ABC News crew, which did have official Capitol Hill credentials, was also denied access to the public hearing.

UPDATE: 12:09 p.m. -- Capitol Police public information officer Seargant Kimberly Schneider provided the following statement to HuffPost on the morning's events:

"At approximately 10:30 a.m. today, United States Capitol Police arrested Joshua Fox of Mainville, Pa. in room 2318 of the Rayburn House office building. He is charged with unlawful entry, and he is currently being processed at United States Capitol Police headquarters."

Seriously? I really shouldn't be surprised. Really shouldn't. But I kind of am. The hearing was open to the public; even though they didn't have credentials, they are still part of the public. Am I missing something? Does a degree from a journalism school automatically mean you're treated differently in instances like this?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I told you people this shit was coming.  I said it YEARS ago.

"Hee hee!  Roger so crazeee!", everyone said, and went back to talking about cookies and pie and stabbity stabbity face-raping bats tequila.

Well, now it's fucking HAPPENING, and it's TOO LATE.

I must now go laugh myself into hysterics.  BRB.

[trippinprincezz13]

WHAT THE GODDAMN FUCK.

WASHINGTON -- In a stunning break with First Amendment policy on Capitol Hill, 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. Republicans also denied the entrance of a credentialed ABC News news team that was attempting to film the event.

Josh Fox, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Gasland" was taken into custody by Capitol Hill police this morning, along with his crew, after Republicans objected to their presence, according to Democratic sources present at the hearing. The meeting of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment had been taking place in room 2318 of the Rayburn building. Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), the ranking Democrat on the committee, is currently seeking to secure a procedural maneuver that would allow the detained film crew to re-enter the hearing, which is open to the public. Miller's motion is not expected to succeed.

Approximately 16 officers entered the hearing room and handcuffed Fox amid audible discussions of "disorderly conduct" charges, according to Democratic sources present at the arrest.


"Gasland" received strong critical acclaim and takes a critical eye toward the practice of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," a process in which several tons of highly pressurized water and chemicals are injected into the ground, allowing valuable natural gas to escape. The practice is decried by ecological experts for destroying ecosystems and polluting groundwater. The energy industry keeps the actual content of fracking chemicals secret.

Fox had hoped to film Wednesday's hearing for a follow-up to "Gasland." A colleague of Fox's at his production company was unable to comment on the morning's events, but HuffPost expects a statement soon and will update this story accordingly.

Fox did not have formal Capitol Hill credentials, but such formalities are rarely enforced against high-profile journalists. Temporary passes are easy to obtain, and if Republicans had objected on procedural grounds, they could have simply sent the the crew to the front desk, rather than ordering police to arrest journalists. The right to a free press is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Documentary crews are almost never denied access to public meetings of elected government officials.

A separate ABC News crew, which did have official Capitol Hill credentials, was also denied access to the public hearing.

UPDATE: 12:09 p.m. -- Capitol Police public information officer Seargant Kimberly Schneider provided the following statement to HuffPost on the morning's events:

"At approximately 10:30 a.m. today, United States Capitol Police arrested Joshua Fox of Mainville, Pa. in room 2318 of the Rayburn House office building. He is charged with unlawful entry, and he is currently being processed at United States Capitol Police headquarters."

Seriously? I really shouldn't be surprised. Really shouldn't. But I kind of am. The hearing was open to the public; even though they didn't have credentials, they are still part of the public. Am I missing something? Does a degree from a journalism school automatically mean you're treated differently in instances like this?

You'd think they'd count as public, I assume maybe to be recording they need a press pass? Not that it really makes a difference at this point, I suppose.

Also, link to article?

I told you people this shit was coming.  I said it YEARS ago.

"Hee hee!  Roger so crazeee!", everyone said, and went back to talking about cookies and pie and stabbity stabbity face-raping bats tequila.

Well, now it's fucking HAPPENING, and it's TOO LATE.

I must now go laugh myself into hysterics.  BRB.

I just don't get it. It's stuff like this I want to jump up and down and rub it in people's faces and shove it down their throats (because trying to talk about it rationally don't work). But then it's "but TV said they broke the law" or the smile, blank stare and onto the next subject. I feel like I'm the one taking crazy pills. It makes me sad and scared and hate everyone.

It is too late and there's no where to go.

[Luna]

What in the flaming monkey balls is this shit?

Fuck it.  I am buying a lottery ticket.  If there is any just, caring Deity in this world (and there isn't), I will win, buy a self-supporting island somewhere tropical, and declare myself Marquise.  Applications for residency will be accepted, with the understanding that, if you piss me off, you are fucking swimming to the mainland, and I will PAY to import sharks if none are provided.

[Juana]

WHAT THE GODDAMN FUCK.

WASHINGTON -- In a stunning break with First Amendment policy on Capitol Hill, 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. Republicans also denied the entrance of a credentialed ABC News news team that was attempting to film the event.

Josh Fox, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Gasland" was taken into custody by Capitol Hill police this morning, along with his crew, after Republicans objected to their presence, according to Democratic sources present at the hearing. The meeting of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment had been taking place in room 2318 of the Rayburn building. Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), the ranking Democrat on the committee, is currently seeking to secure a procedural maneuver that would allow the detained film crew to re-enter the hearing, which is open to the public. Miller's motion is not expected to succeed.

Approximately 16 officers entered the hearing room and handcuffed Fox amid audible discussions of "disorderly conduct" charges, according to Democratic sources present at the arrest.


"Gasland" received strong critical acclaim and takes a critical eye toward the practice of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," a process in which several tons of highly pressurized water and chemicals are injected into the ground, allowing valuable natural gas to escape. The practice is decried by ecological experts for destroying ecosystems and polluting groundwater. The energy industry keeps the actual content of fracking chemicals secret.

Fox had hoped to film Wednesday's hearing for a follow-up to "Gasland." A colleague of Fox's at his production company was unable to comment on the morning's events, but HuffPost expects a statement soon and will update this story accordingly.

Fox did not have formal Capitol Hill credentials, but such formalities are rarely enforced against high-profile journalists. Temporary passes are easy to obtain, and if Republicans had objected on procedural grounds, they could have simply sent the the crew to the front desk, rather than ordering police to arrest journalists. The right to a free press is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Documentary crews are almost never denied access to public meetings of elected government officials.

A separate ABC News crew, which did have official Capitol Hill credentials, was also denied access to the public hearing.

UPDATE: 12:09 p.m. -- Capitol Police public information officer Seargant Kimberly Schneider provided the following statement to HuffPost on the morning's events:

"At approximately 10:30 a.m. today, United States Capitol Police arrested Joshua Fox of Mainville, Pa. in room 2318 of the Rayburn House office building. He is charged with unlawful entry, and he is currently being processed at United States Capitol Police headquarters."

Seriously? I really shouldn't be surprised. Really shouldn't. But I kind of am. The hearing was open to the public; even though they didn't have credentials, they are still part of the public. Am I missing something? Does a degree from a journalism school automatically mean you're treated differently in instances like this?

You'd think they'd count as public, I assume maybe to be recording they need a press pass? Not that it really makes a difference at this point, I suppose.

Also, link to article?

Oops, thought I included that: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/house-republicans-order-j_n_1246971.html
And hmm, I don't know if they had intended to record. Probably.

I told you people this shit was coming.  I said it YEARS ago.

"Hee hee!  Roger so crazeee!", everyone said, and went back to talking about cookies and pie and stabbity stabbity face-raping bats tequila.

Well, now it's fucking HAPPENING, and it's TOO LATE.

I must now go laugh myself into hysterics.  BRB.

I just don't get it. It's stuff like this I want to jump up and down and rub it in people's faces and shove it down their throats (because trying to talk about it rationally don't work). But then it's "but TV said they broke the law" or the smile, blank stare and onto the next subject. I feel like I'm the one taking crazy pills. It makes me sad and scared and hate everyone.

It is too late and there's no where to go.

Running away means it can still follow you. Just a thought.

[trippinprincezz13]

WHAT THE GODDAMN FUCK.

WASHINGTON -- In a stunning break with First Amendment policy on Capitol Hill, 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. Republicans also denied the entrance of a credentialed ABC News news team that was attempting to film the event.

Josh Fox, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Gasland" was taken into custody by Capitol Hill police this morning, along with his crew, after Republicans objected to their presence, according to Democratic sources present at the hearing. The meeting of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment had been taking place in room 2318 of the Rayburn building. Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), the ranking Democrat on the committee, is currently seeking to secure a procedural maneuver that would allow the detained film crew to re-enter the hearing, which is open to the public. Miller's motion is not expected to succeed.

Approximately 16 officers entered the hearing room and handcuffed Fox amid audible discussions of "disorderly conduct" charges, according to Democratic sources present at the arrest.


"Gasland" received strong critical acclaim and takes a critical eye toward the practice of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," a process in which several tons of highly pressurized water and chemicals are injected into the ground, allowing valuable natural gas to escape. The practice is decried by ecological experts for destroying ecosystems and polluting groundwater. The energy industry keeps the actual content of fracking chemicals secret.

Fox had hoped to film Wednesday's hearing for a follow-up to "Gasland." A colleague of Fox's at his production company was unable to comment on the morning's events, but HuffPost expects a statement soon and will update this story accordingly.

Fox did not have formal Capitol Hill credentials, but such formalities are rarely enforced against high-profile journalists. Temporary passes are easy to obtain, and if Republicans had objected on procedural grounds, they could have simply sent the the crew to the front desk, rather than ordering police to arrest journalists. The right to a free press is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Documentary crews are almost never denied access to public meetings of elected government officials.

A separate ABC News crew, which did have official Capitol Hill credentials, was also denied access to the public hearing.

UPDATE: 12:09 p.m. -- Capitol Police public information officer Seargant Kimberly Schneider provided the following statement to HuffPost on the morning's events:

"At approximately 10:30 a.m. today, United States Capitol Police arrested Joshua Fox of Mainville, Pa. in room 2318 of the Rayburn House office building. He is charged with unlawful entry, and he is currently being processed at United States Capitol Police headquarters."

Seriously? I really shouldn't be surprised. Really shouldn't. But I kind of am. The hearing was open to the public; even though they didn't have credentials, they are still part of the public. Am I missing something? Does a degree from a journalism school automatically mean you're treated differently in instances like this?

You'd think they'd count as public, I assume maybe to be recording they need a press pass? Not that it really makes a difference at this point, I suppose.

Also, link to article?

Oops, thought I included that: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/house-republicans-order-j_n_1246971.html
And hmm, I don't know if they had intended to record. Probably.

Thank you. And I had assumed they were planning to record based on the "Fox had hoped to film Wednesday's hearing for a follow-up to "Gasland" part, unless I misread. But as is becoming more and more evident each day, one's "true" intentions don't really mean anything when the government/police/courts have already decided what your intentions are for you.

I told you people this shit was coming.  I said it YEARS ago.

"Hee hee!  Roger so crazeee!", everyone said, and went back to talking about cookies and pie and stabbity stabbity face-raping bats tequila.

Well, now it's fucking HAPPENING, and it's TOO LATE.

I must now go laugh myself into hysterics.  BRB.

I just don't get it. It's stuff like this I want to jump up and down and rub it in people's faces and shove it down their throats (because trying to talk about it rationally don't work). But then it's "but TV said they broke the law" or the smile, blank stare and onto the next subject. I feel like I'm the one taking crazy pills. It makes me sad and scared and hate everyone.

It is too late and there's no where to go.

Running away means it can still follow you. Just a thought.
[/quote]

I know, and that's why lately I just have the feeling of a rat trapped in a cage with a pack of hungry cats outside and no-one else is paying attention because the cats aren't bothering them (yet) and the claws are reaching in, but HEY!! there's a hunk of cheese sitting in the middle of the cage so we'll just fight over that instead. What cats?

There's no saving anyone because they don't want to be saved. And the one-man revolution's not going to get anyone anywhere except dead or tucked away somewhere safe. And there's no running, for any multitude of reasons. I do care about some of the other rats in here, even if they don't see what's coming. Meh, I'm just a ball of hopelessness and cynicism lately.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

There's no saving anyone because they don't want to be saved. And the one-man revolution's not going to get anyone anywhere except dead or tucked away somewhere safe. And there's no running, for any multitude of reasons. I do care about some of the other rats in here, even if they don't see what's coming. Meh, I'm just a ball of hopelessness and cynicism lately.

You're looking at it all wrong, is all.

[LMNO]

Don't get me wrong -- this is some fucked shit.

But if getting credentials is so easy, why the hell didn't they get that straigtened out ahead of time?

Unless, of course, it was a stunt to draw attention to the sequel.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Don't get me wrong -- this is some fucked shit.

But if getting credentials is so easy, why the hell didn't they get that straigtened out ahead of time?

Unless, of course, it was a stunt to draw attention to the sequel.

Looking at amendment I, I see no listed requirement for "credentials".  The lowliest blogger is constitutionally as legitimate as the editor in chief of the Washington Post.

[Juana]

Oh, they ought to have gotten credentials and you should never give your opponents a way to fuck you like this, but like the article said, it's something rarely enforced. I don't think they necessarily expected it to be a problem if it hasn't been before. And  I gotta say, the charges are pretty specious.

Don't get me wrong -- this is some fucked shit.

But if getting credentials is so easy, why the hell didn't they get that straigtened out ahead of time?

Unless, of course, it was a stunt to draw attention to the sequel.

Looking at amendment I, I see no listed requirement for "credentials".  The lowliest blogger is constitutionally as legitimate as the editor in chief of the Washington Post.

This.

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

I told you people this shit was coming.  I said it YEARS ago.

"Hee hee!  Roger so crazeee!", everyone said, and went back to talking about cookies and pie and stabbity stabbity face-raping bats tequila.

Well, now it's fucking HAPPENING, and it's TOO LATE.

I must now go laugh myself into hysterics.  BRB.

It's too late?

Thank goodness, that excuses me from feeling like I should do something about it.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I told you people this shit was coming.  I said it YEARS ago.

"Hee hee!  Roger so crazeee!", everyone said, and went back to talking about cookies and pie and stabbity stabbity face-raping bats tequila.

Well, now it's fucking HAPPENING, and it's TOO LATE.

I must now go laugh myself into hysterics.  BRB.

It's too late?

Thank goodness, that excuses me from feeling like I should do something about it.

Yep.  It's been too late for at least 5 years.  The system is now immune to any known form of disturbance.

[Juana]

Update:

UPDATE: 2:27 p.m. -- Fox apparently had applied for credentialing the day before the hearing but had been unable to obtain official permission to film. He had asked a credentialed film crew to tape the proceedings on his behalf but was informed that this was not permitted.

Nevertheless, turning away journalists is extremely rare on Capitol Hill. The rules requiring pre-approval for film crews are designed to prevent hearings from being disrupted by hordes of camera operators. That was the case for this hearing. Only two cameras requested entrance to the event, which was not crowded.

Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.) was unavailable for comment, but several Democrats on the committee voiced outrage with the GOP's press blackout.

"I was chair of the Subcommittee for four years, and we frequently had people show up the day of a hearing to film," Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.) told HuffPost. "We asked for their name, but they were told if they would not disrupt the hearing, they were free to record. A couple of times staff said, 'You're getting in the way, don't stand there,' but other than that, I do not ever recall anything like this. We certainly never turned anyone away for not providing 24 hours' notice."

"It's an outrageous violation of the First Amendment," Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) told HuffPost. "Here we've got an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, and it's an important subject and the subject that he did his prior film on for HBO. And they put him in handcuffs and hauled him out of there. This is stunning."

"I found it ironic that there was not a flood of cameras there," noted Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.). "There was the one camera and then before that, the ABC camera ... if you have a camera there to bring the issue home to the public, that's a good thing."

The hearing was already being filmed by C-SPAN. ABC and Josh Fox had only sought to obtain higher-quality video by bringing their own cameras to the event. Democrats attempted to suspend the rules governing camerawork to allow Josh Fox and ABC to film the hearing, but Republicans, who hold a majority on all House committees and subcommittees, voted down the motion. Democrats then sought to postpone the hearing to allow for filming at a later date, a motion which Republicans also overruled.

[LMNO]

Update:

UPDATE: 2:27 p.m. -- Fox apparently had applied for credentialing the day before the hearing but had been unable to obtain official permission to film. He had asked a credentialed film crew to tape the proceedings on his behalf but was informed that this was not permitted.

Nevertheless, turning away journalists is extremely rare on Capitol Hill. The rules requiring pre-approval for film crews are designed to prevent hearings from being disrupted by hordes of camera operators. That was the case for this hearing. Only two cameras requested entrance to the event, which was not crowded.

Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.) was unavailable for comment, but several Democrats on the committee voiced outrage with the GOP's press blackout.

"I was chair of the Subcommittee for four years, and we frequently had people show up the day of a hearing to film," Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.) told HuffPost. "We asked for their name, but they were told if they would not disrupt the hearing, they were free to record. A couple of times staff said, 'You're getting in the way, don't stand there,' but other than that, I do not ever recall anything like this. We certainly never turned anyone away for not providing 24 hours' notice."

"It's an outrageous violation of the First Amendment," Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) told HuffPost. "Here we've got an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, and it's an important subject and the subject that he did his prior film on for HBO. And they put him in handcuffs and hauled him out of there. This is stunning."

"I found it ironic that there was not a flood of cameras there," noted Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.). "There was the one camera and then before that, the ABC camera ... if you have a camera there to bring the issue home to the public, that's a good thing."

The hearing was already being filmed by C-SPAN. ABC and Josh Fox had only sought to obtain higher-quality video by bringing their own cameras to the event. Democrats attempted to suspend the rules governing camerawork to allow Josh Fox and ABC to film the hearing, but Republicans, who hold a majority on all House committees and subcommittees, voted down the motion. Democrats then sought to postpone the hearing to allow for filming at a later date, a motion which Republicans also overruled.

In light of the above, I withdraw my question.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I might add, the press is now reaping what they've sown for YEARS.

Not Joshua Fox, mind you...He didn't deserve this.  But the press in general has just been told where they stand kneel, and it's THEIR OWN FAULT.  They did this by allowing "torture" to be reframed as "enhanced interrogation".  They did this by allowing George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld to be all the proof they required for banging the war drums.  They did this by allowing the OWS movement to be conveniently shoved out of the public eye, while giving some fucking goofball from Wasilla every ounce of press she wanted AFTER she patiently and clearly explained how much she hated the press.

But you won't hear the press whining about it, even now.  They're too busy jamming their tongues up the appropriate rectums.