The Department of Justice is pushing for a court order protecting journalists from arrest during the months-long Portland protests to be lifted, claiming that some of those engaged in violence have used the order to “masquerade” as members of the press.
How long before Barr interferes on behalf of Trump?
Let us not forget that this goes beyond DHS…
New Pentagon training refers to protesters and journalists as “adversaries”!
“An adversary — a common generic term for a person or group that opposes ones tactical goals — is acting counter to our information security objectives and therefore personnel must understand that threat,” Orland said in a statement. “Attempting to read more into the use of the term obfuscates the clear purpose of the training: to prevent information from falling into unauthorized hands regardless of its potential use.”
So being able to freely report what is going on is now against the military’s tactical goals in the homeland?
Journalists everywhere should be taught that the US government considers them, not just adversaries, enemies.
Stay safe.
WTF is WRONG with ‘our’ DOJ??? They swore to uphold the Constitution but they pick and choose WHAT to protect?
If a member of the press (or someone pretending to be one) actually attacked an officer, of course they would be arrested, that’s simple logic and the court order doesn’t change that. This is just another attempt by DHS to abrogate Constitutional protections for the press to report on their activity. The leaders of the DHS would probably welcome the limits on our freedoms that China is imposing in Hong Kong, they are right in line with dictators sending thugs to beat protestors and control the news reports afterwards.
In an interview with NBC-affiliate KGW8 lat week, Williams said the media have “failed” in their unwillingness to call out “people engaged in criminal conduct, as criminals, as opposed to lawful protesting.”
So the media are supposed to support whatever the administration’s current propaganda line is, am I understanding the U.S. Attorney correctly there? Perhaps, just barely left unstated, better compliance might improve their physical safety at the demonstrations?
That’s a couple more large steps down that slope.
This filing is weak pushback to the filing to hold dhs/doj in contempt. They were ordered to leave alone reporters and observers, To provide a copy of the order to every agent in Portland, and then attacked and pushed back reporters and observers That very same day; and it was all filmed.
This all is not going to end well for doj/dhs. And I might add that a presidential pardon does not apply to contempt proceedings to enforce compliance with a court order, only for punishment for violation of a court order.
Judge can put chad Himmler wolf and kkken cellucci in jail, and keep them there, and trump can not pardon them, provided it is to enforce compliance.
Adding a ps. Judge has a hearing on the Contempt motion at 10 am pdt today
This was, of course, pointed out by the journalists’ attorneys:
“The restraining order simply orders federal agents to abide by the law, which is to not arrest, threaten to arrest, or use physical force against journalist unless the government has probable cause to believe that such individual has committed a crime,” [Borden said](https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/31/feds-court-order-journalists-portland-protests-389262)
The government’s filing is simply an effort to remove all restrictions on the officers. It serves no positive purpose: it does not allow address to a problem that isn’t already addressed.
Oh, that’s not part of their program. It doesn’t enact their party’s priorities.
And some savvy Republicans are masquerading as lovers of democracy.
So groups of street protestors and journalists have rendered the federal government unable to do their job?! That’s some mighty powerful protestors.
Sounds to me like they want us to believe that…but maybe they are totally incompetent…or more likely…DOJ is just doing the bidding of an impotent president.
OK, DOJ.
If journalists doing their jobs are your adversaries, then I am your adversary.
Therefore, truthful reporting is counter to DOJ “information security objectives.”
Which leads to the conclusion that lies and silence support the DOJ.
The sentiment arises here every so often that journalists at MSM are the enemy esp. those at big city newspapers. Those enemies are mentioned by name, their coverage on issues is cited, and in finalizing the case they’re blamed for Clinton losing the election by coverage of her emails. P.S. 3M more votes than your opponent is a terrible way to lose an election
In that case everyone that is in their right mind is the enemy and that’s the vast majority of Americans.
Williams said the media have “failed” in their unwillingness to call out “people engaged in criminal conduct, as criminals, as opposed to lawful protesting.”
So because these journalists won’t report things your way they don’t deserve constitutional protections? Got it. Can’t wait until we get to apply that to FOX News and OAN come January. What comes around goes around.
( Maybe being sarcastic? )
If this Administration considers the press as adversaries, then it follows they don’t believe in or support the the 1st Amendment. Another day, another impeachable offense.
I don’t doubt some protesters are masquerading as journalists, but Rupert Murdoch has an entire network full of people masquerading as journalists so I’m not sure I understand the problem.
Also, are there so many protesters doing this that it’s actually having an effect on any good faith law enforcement (to the extent that there is any)? This seems like a way to use one or two fake journos to sweep up all journalists, much like a couple of fraudulent votes out of tens of millions is the excuse for suppressing millions of legitimate votes through voter ID and voter roll purges.
Hey, let’s also get rid of habeas corpus, trial by jury and voting, because some people hide behind them to do very very tremendous bad things and don’t love our great great beautiful country, believe me.