Joe Miller's Private "Guards" Were Active-Duty Military: Handcuff Journalist For Asking Questions

[Panaconda]

Joe Miller's private "guards" were active-duty military
By Glenn Greenwald


(updated below - Update II)

One of the more disturbing election incidents took place in Alaska on Sunday night, when private "guards" working for GOP Senate nominee Joe Miller forcibly detained and handcuffed a journalist as he tried to ask the candidate questions which he did not want to answer. This photograph shows the journalist, Alaska Dispatch's Tony Hopfinger, handcuffed in a chair, surrounded by Miller's guards. This story became much worse yesterday when video was released that was taken by a reporter from the Anchorage Daily News showing that these guards thuggishly threatened at least two other reporters, from ADN, with physical detention as they tried to find out what happened, demanded that they leave or else "be handcuffed," and physically blocked them from filming the incident all while threatening to physically remove them from the event, which was advertised to the public (see video below).

But revelations today have made the story much, much worse still. ADN now reports that not only was Joe Miller's excuse for why he had hired private guards a lie, but two of the guards who handcuffed the journalist and threatened others are active-duty soldiers in the U.S. military:

...

Meanwhile, the Army says that two of the guards who assisted in the arrest of the journalist and who tried to prevent two other reporters from filming the detention were active-duty soldiers moonlighting for Miller's security contractor, the Drop Zone, a Spenard surplus store and protection service.

...

If it's not completely intolerable to have active-duty soldiers handcuffing American journalists on U.S. soil while acting as private "guards" for Senate candidates, what would be? This is the sort of thing that the U.S. State Department would readily condemn if it happened in Egypt or Iran or Venezuela or Cuba: active-duty soldiers detaining journalists while they're paid by politician candidates? The fact that Joe Miller has been defending the conduct of his private guards in handcuffing a journalist and threatening others with handcuffs should be disqualifying by itself. That reveals a deeply disturbed authoritarian mind. But the fact that these guards are active-duty U.S. soldiers makes this entire incident far more disturbing. Shouldn't American journalists of every stripe be vehemently protesting this incident?

...

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/10/19/miller/index.html

[Vinca]

1. I don't understand why the security guards haven't been arrested for anything.

What happened sure looks like kidnapping to me.

[myrna minx]

6. False imprisonment seems to apply.

It'll be interesting to see how the military deals with this revelation.

[ProudDad]

24. Republican D.A.? (n/t)

Technically it was assault, battery and kidnapping...

[olegramps]

31. They have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution.

I would question if what they have done is a violation of their oath. It could be grounds for Court Martial. They look like a couple of thugs. Bring back the draft and insert some intelligent opposition to the lock-step ultra-right wing mentality that appears to dominate the military. Personally, as a veteran, I am sick of the blah, blah thanks for your sacrifice crapola.

[molly77]

40. You are right

The military is only used for republicans. bush used them for public appearances and photographs. The last few years of his presidency , he never went into crowds of the general public.

The wars are fought for corporations. The military is used for republicans. MSM is dominated by republicans. I smell some fascism.

[safeinOhio]

2. Defenders of the Constitution,

trash the crap out of it..

[Stuart G]

3. K and R nt

[myrna minx]

4. Wow - this tale is getting worse.

I think the good people of Alaska need to think long and hard about electing this thug and grifter.

[ThomWV]

5. Those two asswipes need to be booted out of the service for pure stupidity.

[The Uncola]

7. I agree.

A dishonorable discharge seems quite justified.

[ThomWV]

8. In fact they dishonored the branch of the service in which they serve

I think you're right.

[txlibdem]

28. I agree. Illegally detaining a US citizen seems to go under the UCMJ

UCMJ = uniform code of military justice and I'm sure it says something in there about this sort of thing...

[sarge43]

9. Nope. A dishonorable is for capital offenses.

A bad conduct boot is nasty enough, especially if those assholes were part timing without permission.

An investigation up the chain is also called for. No one knew they were working for a political candidate as security guards? Don't believe it. That was a cluster fuck waiting to happen and, slap me again General Patton, it did.

[The Uncola]

10. Thanks for ..

.. the informed response. I know little of how the military operates in such matters, for sure, but it seems to me that whatever branch of the service they are part of, isn't going to be pleased with this sort of attention. Justifiably so, these thugs need a severe beatdown.

[sarge43]

12. Sure.

I'll back peddle a bit. If those two get the book dropped on them, it'll probably at worst be an Other Than Honorable which is the stiffest administrative (no court martial) discharge. A BCD requires a court conviction, special or general, and the service doesn't like to c-m unless it's really, really ugly and open/shut, especially at that level.

I'm not so concerned about the perps; their IQs probably don't equal their pay grade. My question is: did their commander approve this and if so WTF was he thinking? Active duty personnel do not, repeat, not get involved in anything political. If the perps lied about it, that's one thing. If commander knew who they were working for and why, he needs a Come to Jesus trip thru the legal system.

[ProudDad]

25. You meant "Jailable" offenses -- not Capital

right?

[sarge43]

30. Meant what I wrote.

Being late for formation can get you chill time. Treason, mutiny, murder, desertion in the face of, for example, actions that cause or have potential to cause death can put you up against the wall.

[ProudDad]

32. I looked it up

Dishonorable discharge is usually reserved for "Jail-able offenses"...

[sarge43]

33. Well, that would be news to some AF vets who got three months

of bad time (fatigue duty and night time lock down) for repeater Articles 15.

You don't have to be nailed with a dishonorable to spend quality time in one Uncle's penal facilities -- just keep annoying Them What Be In Charge.

To pull a general court and a dishonorable is serious stuff, very serious and the service doesn't do it often and for petty routine reasons. Jail time is the least of the consequences.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

35. you mean 3 "asswipes"...there were 3 of them

[blindpig]

11. k&r

[Tsiyu]

13. Okay maybe I'm Old School

But the words "posse" and "comitatus" just flew out when i read this thread title.

[sarge43]

14. I hope that school never gets old. n/t

[Tsiyu]

16. If Miller is allowed to get away with this now

imagine if he's elected?


it's outrageous


:kick:

[sarge43]

17. Yeah. Easy to forget who's the real perp in this fiasco.

He'll probably get away with it and I don't want to imagine that.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

34. No chit. I smell toast burning...

for both Miller, and his hired henchmen.

[msanthrope]

38. Well, I'm in that Old School, too. n/t

[Starry Messenger]

15. k & r

[leftstreet]

18. They're claiming 'citizens arrest,' but you can't cuff someone with that

Their 'security' company statement is bullshit

K&R

[Generic Other]

19. And the DA in Anchorage will not be pressing charges

The journalist/blogger needs to hear from people. He should demand they be charged or sue in civil court. He was kidnapped! He needs to defend the right of journalists everywhere!!

Anyone got an email addy?

[Eyerish]

20. K&R

[maryf]

21. Shouldn't American journalists of every stripe be vehemently protesting...

Shouldn't every American of any stripe?? This is really disturbing...k&R

[awoke_in_2003]

44. they should...

but, of course, there are not many who deserve the title "journalist", so not many Americans will here about this (or will be told why it is wrong)

[datasuspect]

22. Ah, the National Populist White People's Party

that guy is a piece of fucking shit.

[bertman]

23. YES!! All American journalists should be protesting this abomination. Rec. nt

[chervilant]

26. hmm...

"Shouldn't American journalists of every stripe be vehemently protesting this incident?"

Your question presupposes that we still HAVE journalists in America...

[BlueMTexpat]

27. Federal employees are supposedly barred from partisan

campaigning under the Hatch Act. I do not understand why US active-duty military would not be considered as federal employees and thus subject to the Hatch Act. Thus, whether they had permission to work part-time for a private security company or not (and that is a BIG question already), why on earth were they assigned the duty to provide security to any politician, much less this one, who regularly campaigns on government intrusiveness into people's lives - except, of course, when that so-called intrusiveness benefits him? And why did they accept it?

For such people forcibly to handcuff someone who was merely exercising his US Constitutional rights to ask questions of a politician is not only reprehensible but the essence of the Big Brother that Miller purports NOT to want in people's lives.

If people in AK do end up electing this horrible creature to the US Senate, they will live to regret it - and very quickly. The best thing that Lisa Murkowski could do for her state and her country is to bow out of the campaign entirely and to endorse Scott McAdams. Because she is a Republican, however, service to the people of her state and of our country will likely remain lip service only. Lisa - we ALL deserve better!

[wmbrew0206]

43. Military service members are not barred from campaigning as long as they do not

do it in uniform.

Also, the service members are allowed to have part time jobs, as long as they do not interfere with their military duties. There are not a lot of jobs out there that can fit that bill but there are some, like waiter, bartender, etc. There is no restriction on a service member from being a security guard, even if it is to a political campaign.

[rasputin1952]

29. This shouild be an interesting law suit. It gets a little bigger each time

around. I wonder what the MOS's of these "soldiers" are? MP's, Infantry, cooks?

With tat much "security" Miller must be in some seep stuff...;)

[Mimosa]

36. SCARY! n/t

[fishwax]

37. wow, that's outrageous on several levels

:wtf:

[lafayettelonewolf]

39. Deja vu

So these three journalists were trying to report the truth and Miller had them arrested?! This reminds me of pre-WWII Germany, don't you think?! Miller is desperate and we all know it.

[husky92]

41. People Actually Want This Knucklehead as a Senator for Their State???

Amazing that stuff like this can happen without any pushback from anyone other than some of the media in California and some liberal folks. If this happened with one of the Democratic candidates and they handcuffed some right-wing blogger (I can only hope!!!) Fox Noise and every right-wing yapper would be making this into one of the worst things ever to happen in this country. Since I don't watch Fox, I can only imagine what those dimwits all said about this. I guess they were too worked up about the Juan Williams thing to worry!

[onager]

42. "...a Spenard surplus store and protection service." ???

:rofl:

No wonder Miller had such hi-quality operatives working for him!

When I was in the Marine Corps 150 years ago, I moonlighted as an armed security guard. Your basic Rent-A-Cop, patrolling places like convenience stores and apartment complexes in Southern Calif. At the time, my Marine Corps job was pretty much 9-to-5. Lots of enlisted Marines did that for the extra money.

As I remember, I had to do some paperwork and get permission from my commanding officer, etc. All of which was pretty routine.

Working for a political candidate and intimidating reporters is a whole other kettle of (stinking) fish.

Besides the military angle, most..."protection services" operate under pretty tight legal restraints, or at least they did in Calif. So it will be interesting to see what happens here.

I hope something happens and this doesn't just drop off the radar. This is like something straight out of All The King's Men.