Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal is sick and tired of seeing journalists subjected to threats and violence in stupid meme videos and stuff, so he’s proposing a solution to protect both their honor and their bodies:
NEW: Citing threats, violence against journalists, Sen. Richard Blumenthal proposes bill making threatening or attacking "anyone doing fact gathering or news operations" a federal crime. https://t.co/JsAo4rT8TM pic.twitter.com/rQoOqEVL3b
— ABC News (@ABC) October 15, 2019
MORE: Sen. Blumenthal says he will be looking for cosponsors on "both sides of the aisle."
"There should be nothing partisan about protecting news gathering." https://t.co/m3uyMbkmnP https://t.co/BrrC2n4kYg
— Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) October 15, 2019
Please.
Seems overbroad and also not a matter for the federal government https://t.co/2PXyzSOHTN
— Halloween Name Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) October 15, 2019
And unnecessary for that matter. It’s not like there’s a spate of violence against journalists going unpunished.
— Halloween Name Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) October 15, 2019
Since everyone has free speech, and with platforms like Twitter and YouTube everyone is a journalist, that means that everyone, GET THIS, is protected by bills already that say it's wrong to assault someone.
Also, define "threaten and attack". https://t.co/0ma5QUkcB9
— Melissa Mackenzie ? (@MelissaTweets) October 15, 2019
Yeah, but apparently some citizens should be more protected than others.
Lol so basically they want journalists to be a protected class? https://t.co/kpjA65rnlq
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) October 15, 2019
Blumenthal also wants to make a DC Fallen Journalists Memorial, so this is clearly more about enshrining journalists as a protected class of Brave Firefighters than serving any legitimate law enforcement need.
— Halloween Name Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) October 15, 2019
Did we mention that some citizens are more protected than others?
Just remember, the media can threaten private citizens though. https://t.co/gRlZjQehrR
— GOP Pouncer (@Mellecon) October 15, 2019
The media has doxxed and threatened multiple people. https://t.co/uP4Y9JTSnG
— The Dank Knight ??? (@capeandcowell) October 15, 2019
How about we make it a federal crime for journalists to dox private citizens? One can report without trying to get people fired, as has become custom with certain members of the MSM. https://t.co/Jy5ozETUvQ
— Harold Stickeehans (@StickeeNotes) October 15, 2019
Yep.
With this legislation, would there be a Federal Crime for reporters and news agencies that report false information or stories that are damaging to others?
— Brian Gilbert (@Brian__Gilbert) October 15, 2019
Don’t hold your breath.
Ultimately, this isn’t about journalists’ safety so much as it’s about ensuring that the Democratic Party maintains their ability to control the narrative.
Next comes government-issued journalism licenses.
— Denny Loggins (@DennyLoggins) October 15, 2019
They are trying to protect their propaganda machine!!!
— JWNJC (@LuvGodPrayfor17) October 15, 2019
That’s all it is. And they’ll do it at any cost.
What could possibly go wrong. https://t.co/VRN35Ozz87
— baby snark do do do do do (@justanurse25) October 15, 2019
This is how you shut down criticism and dissent.
— GOP Pouncer (@Mellecon) October 15, 2019