Republican Authoritarians for Freedom
by digby
After two embarrassing arrests of local citizens for videotaping police as they carried out official duties, the city of New Haven, Connecticut issued a policy preventing police officers from arresting bystanders who videotaped their actions.
When the state’s Democrats attempted to turn that policy into state law earlier this year, the proposal came under fire from state Republicans, who offered a host of excuses for why a law promoting transparency and openness in law enforcement was a bad idea. Senate Republicans then successfully watered down the bill before it came to a vote, where they were nearly unanimous in their opposition to it. The bill passed the state Senate on June 3 with only one Republican vote, but the state House of Representatives ran out of time before it could vote on the bill.
“Well what do you think happens in the real world with recording devices? It’s the same thing. People look to catch you on the smallest phrase taken out of context.”
“Are we that skeptical of our policemen that we have to say when you get there we’re going to tape every action you use, every second you take, every word you speak?”
I don’t want that police officer to be thinking for a second, ‘wait a minute, I’ve got this new law I might be liable. Oh darn. What am I going to do?'”
How can any Libertarian of good conscience vote for someone like this simply because they refuse to raise taxes?
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