*groan...* So close. So-o-o close. Senator Groen leads the committee by the hand. But then they stub their collective toe on the ludicrous question of WHO OWNS THE RECORDING MEDIUM. Seriously? Was there ever an issue?
The answer, of course, is no, faithful reader. There is no case of which your humble chronicler is aware in which the cops have confiscated media based on the assertion that the "offending" journalist didn't actually own it. Just an excuse to delay acknowledging that, as per NH Constitution's Part First, Article 8, "All power residing originally in, and being derived from, the people, all the magistrates and officers of government are their substitutes and agents, and at all times accountable to them."
Don't wanna be accountable to them, don't be paid by them. Seems pretty clear to me...
Anyway, herewith, the NH Senate Judiciary Committee's Executive Session -- where they (usually) vote on their recommendation to the full body -- on HB145, "permitting the audio and video recording of a law enforcement officer while in the course of his or her official duties," followed briskly by HB146, "relative to the right of a jury to judge the application of the law in relationship to the facts in controversy," AKA jury nullification.
The latter went slightly more rationally, yet nevertheless resulted in "MORE STUDY!" Because, well, there's no reason you should understand your legitimate power, citizen. That would merely make your servants' jobs all that much harder. And they wouldn't want that, now would they...?
No comments:
Post a Comment