Liberal Bill Takes Aim At Trump, Would Make ‘Menacing’ Journalists A Federal Crime

[GURPS]

But now anti-Trump Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) wants to make it a federal crime to "intimidate" journalists. Poor babies, the president's being mean to them!

Swalwell, you might remember, has accused Fox News host Tucker Carlson of working for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has claimed that Trump has “instated more pro-Russia policies that America has seen in decades." Needless to say he offers no proof for those charges.

“President Donald Trump’s campaign and administration have created a toxic atmosphere,” Swalwell said in a statement. “It’s not just about labeling reports of his constant falsehoods as #FakeNews — it’s his casting of media personalities and outlets as anti-American targets, and encouraging people to engage in violence.”

Swalwell, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, has introduced what he calls the "Journalist Protection Act." He says the bill, if passed, would protect reporters from that horrible “toxic environment."


Liberal Bill Takes Aim At Trump, Would Make ‘Menacing’ Journalists A Federal Crime

 

[vraiblonde]

Cynical politicians disgust me. This latest punk is just playing to his psychotic voters in an effort to rouse the rabble, nothing more. His hypocrisy is breathtaking. I would ask if he means the way the Left menaces Fox News journalists as well, but I know he doesn't.

 

[Grumpy]

I thought journalists were a thing of the past, the media only hires activists now.

 

[Gilligan]

He says the bill, if passed,

....zero chance of that happening.

 

[kom526]

How would passing this waste of resources "protect" the po wittle reporters?

 

[PsyOps]

I don't suppose this would apply to Obama when he disparages Fox News?

 

[GURPS]

I don't suppose this would apply to Obama when he had the FBI Searching for Leakers ?

:fixed:

 

[PsyOps]

:fixed:

Well, that; if they grandfathered it in.

 

[GURPS]

The bill, called the Journalist Protection Act, would make it a federal crime to intentionally cause bodily harm to a journalist, either while the journalist is taking part in newsgathering, or with the purpose of intimidating or impeding the journalist’s newsgathering.

The maximum sentence for a conviction is six years in prison for causing severe bodily harm, or three years in prison for causing lesser bodily harm.

Swalwell says this measure “helps ensure law enforcement is able to punish those who interfere with newsgathering.”

His press release cited a U.S. Press Freedom Tracker statistic of 44 physical assaults on journalists in 2017, and blamed these assaults on President Donald Trump’s “antagonistic communications,” which allegedly “encourage others to think, regardless of their views, that violence against people engaged in journalism is more acceptable.”


http://dailysignal.com/2018/02/08/new-bill-protect-journalists-unnecessary-political-pandering/



this could seriously backfire against Anti-FA, BLM ... let me think, who else has assaulted 'Journalists' in the pursuit of their JOBS in the last 2 yrs

 

[Toxick]

“President Donald Trump’s campaign and administration have created a toxic atmosphere,” Swalwell said in a statement. “It’s not just about labeling reports of his constant falsehoods as #FakeNews — it’s his casting of media personalities and outlets as anti-American targets, and encouraging people to engage in violence.”

I think he's got his sides mixed up.

 

[GURPS]

I think he's got his sides mixed up.

Indeed ... I have not seen and Trump Supporters Assaulting Reporters ...... AnitFA however

 

[kom526]

Would this include the FBI or a presidential administration?


Asking for some friends.
Sharyl Attkinnson James Rosen

 

[Chris0nllyn]

So, if this passes, how does it apply to the govt. and its actors?

For instance, the general public can be considered journalists and police seem to constantly forget they can be filmed in public. In addition to possible false arrest charges (ha!), will this law apply to police officers who "intimidate" citizen journalists?

 

[Kyle]

They might wanna be careful with this... Just the behavior of the left over FOXNews in the last 20+ years would land them all in jail!

 

[Hijinx]

Make Journalists a protected class.


Like we don't have enough of those already.

 

[This_person]

The bill, called the Journalist Protection Act, would make it a federal crime to intentionally cause bodily harm to a journalist, either while the journalist is taking part in newsgathering, or with the purpose of intimidating or impeding the journalist’s newsgathering.

If they're going after impeding the journalist's news gathering, would that include executive branch and legislative branch officials who do not answer all questions asked of them, or who maybe hide their phones from FOIA requests, or things like that?

 

[vraiblonde]

Like most hysterical knee-jerk Democrat legislative proposals, this wasn't very well thought out.

Not that the Republicans think a whole lot about the stupid crap they propose, but the Dems really up the ante.