Rich Miller and others are reporting that just after Rep. Weller’s retirement speech this morning, a Weller staffer apparently shoved a few reporters around. Channel 2’s Mike Flannery claims he was shoved down a stairwell and has filed a police report — news footage appears to prove it. CLTV’s Carlos Hernandez indicates he was literally leaned on, with an arm to the chest and throat — and, again, video appears to back it up.
While this isn’t nearly as bad as some of the actions his father-in-law is accused of, bowling over journalists just ain’t cool in the good ol’ US of A. But given the recent media reports about Cong. Weller’s questionable ethics, perhaps it was only understandable that the folks who now need to begin looking for a new job would take out their frustrations on reporters. Of course, Archpundit reported on a similar incident about Weller staffers some time back going after a constituent. And, in 2004 a local reporter covering issues behind his then-fiancee (now wife) was mysteriously attacked after he wrote some news reports. (The reports critical about the Republican Congressman Weller were squashed by that oh-so-liberal then-conservative owned Hoellinger media).
For those of you worried that such circuses might be coming to an end along with Rep. Weller’s Capitol Dome career, don’t fret.
You see, Cong. Weller’s campaign manager is one Steve Shearer (scroll down to the Update).
Mr. Schearer is also the campaign manager for conservative State Rep. Aaron Schock who is now running for (drumroll, please) Congress. And questions about Mr. Schock’s own ethics are starting to pop up.
Does this mean the childish antics will keep happening? Maybe, maybe not — perhaps it’s all koink-dinks and fog-and-mirrors. Certainly, Mr. Shearer may have had nothing to do with any of these incidents in the first place (whether in his role with Weller or Schock).
But the fact these two candidates with controversial practices have the same manager sure makes for interestingly speculative water cooler talk.
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September 21, 2007 at 10:01 pm
dwlawson
I didn’t see the incident and can’t comment on it. But out of the blue I’d like to suggest that maybe the media (in general) needs to step off a bit. Too often we see a frantic scrambling feeding frenzy that frankly sickens me. Given my claustraphobic tendencies and my dislike of being touched by strangers (not to mention my dislike of people shoving things, like mics, in my face), I imagine I’d shove quite a few of those dill weeds off of me. Good thing I live my life in relative obscurity.
September 22, 2007 at 11:25 am
Ann
Maybe Jerry Weller and that Tony Peraica guy should team up and start a new Goon Party.
September 22, 2007 at 9:43 pm
robnesvacil
Links to videos were provided DW…. Judge for yourself.
And, note that the media did indeed “step off a bit” for both Weller and other Republicans (something about not questioning flimsy rationale for an unprovoked invasion comes to mind).
Weller has been involved in those questionable land deals for years and only very recently (as in within the past month) did any “mainstream” media begin questioning the deals.
As for having mics pointed your way … you are correct in living in relative obscurity and not living life as a Congressman.
Weller is a Congressman — if he doesn’t like being asked questions he shouldn’t have run for office in the first place. And it was his staff, not him, that was shoving people around and holding them against the wall. Again, watch the videos provided.
September 24, 2007 at 9:28 pm
dwlawson
Did they step off of Diana? No matter who you are, you don’t deserve to be hounded to death. In a way, we are abetting as we create market that demands they get that all important photo.
September 25, 2007 at 2:41 am
robnesvacil
Diana was not an elected official. She was a divorced Princess (and I don’t think she even had that title at that point anyway) who fed off her own celebrity as such and tried to put that celebrity to some good uses such as fighting poverty, disease, leftover mines, etc. The paparazzi following her weren’t looking for information about government business; they were looking to make a pound off her.
But thanks for bringing up a red herring as a weak change of subject.
Rep. Weller still is an elected official of the people. As such, the press has every right to ask him questions about official business (which would include his ethics).
And here I thought you were all about answering to the Constitution, DW. (The “press” is the only private for-profit industry specifically protected in the Constitution.)
Rep. Weller could’ve simply not answered the questions (as he was doing that day and had been doing for weeks) instead of his staffers roughing people up.