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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Video: Ryan's Office Threatens Kenosha Protesters With Arrest and Investigation

In this video taken near Rep. Paul Ryan's constituent office in Kenosha, police officers are shown stating that the owner of the building signed a formal complaint against the district constituents. (The owner of the building is listed as South Harbor Professional Center.) The officer told district constituents they were not allowed inside the building at all on orders from the building owner. The officer declared it is the building owner's prerogative who is allowed to enter the building, apparently regardless of whether the congressman's office is an official public entity or not. By extension then, if an owner of the leased (constituent office) building happens not to agree with the viewpoints of the constituents, the building owner can effectively bar those constituents from the building and limit their speech to the sidewalk.

After further questioning, the police admitted Ryan's staff also signed the complaint.



Paul Ryan's Kenosha Constituent Services Center
5455 Sheridan Road
Suite 125
Kenosha, WI 53140
Phone: (262) 654-1901
Fax: (262) 654-2156



In an unrelated incident, Ohio Republican Congressman Steve Chabot had police seize a citizen’s camera after he tried to record one of Chabot’s answers at a tax payer financed town hall meeting. At the end of the meeting, the police confiscated two video cameras.

Here is the Chabot story from Progress Ohio.

Youtube: Chabot Sensors Townhall - Police Seize Cameras

Politicus USA Excerpt:
It is outrageous that in Rep. Chabot’s mind a citizen does not have the right to film a public event on public property that he and other taxpayers are funding. Rep. Chabot and the other House Republicans who are finding creative ways to mute or exclude their constituents are afraid to engage in democracy. These events aren’t town halls. They are monologues, and Rep. Chabot is abusing his position to keep them that way.

Both of these incidents (Ryan's and Chabots) are stunning examples as to the levels of government-sponsored intimidation and harrassment Republicans will rise to in an obvious effort to censor the citizenry and control opposing speech.

1 comment:

Dave said...

The Ryan flunkies in his Janesville office were more polite yesterday afternoon. Most people driving by the protest in front of Ryan's office were supportive. A couple gave the finger but they may have been pointing at the very cool group of protesters to say "Hi". Or not.

Either way, Ryan's office got a taste of the public. I wonder if it was as good as the $350.00 bottle of wine he was drinking the other day?

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