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A college radio station reporter was expected to get his memory card back Friday after it was seized by the Veteran Affairs Department when he tried to interview a veteran.
David Schultz of American University’s WAMU-FM told CNN he attended a VA town hall meeting Tuesday for minority veterans held at a Washington VA hospital.
Schultz said that he heard a veteran speak during the meeting and asked him to talk in the hallway. Once there, he said, a VA public affairs officer, whom he would not name, interrupted, saying the interview was illegal.
“I said, ‘He’s an adult and I had a right to do this,'” Schultz said. “She came back with four police officers.”
The “cops” demanded that he turn over his tape, Schultz said. The public affairs officer, angered when another veteran offered Schultz his phone number, demanded that Schultz hand over all his equipment or “I’m going to get ugly,” he said.
Schultz called his editor, who told him “to give them the sound card and get out of there.”
Schultz said he handed over the sound card and returned to the meeting, only to be told to leave or face prosecution. He later left the building.
Of course, this was all compounded by the sheepish editor. What could the veteran have said that was such a problem? And where do idiots get off telling someone this sort of thing is illegal then getting the police to back them up. How is it illegal?
Found by Greg Schultz.
Here is the reality. In a hospital, you are not allowed to “disturb” the patients, without the approval of the public information person. Especially true in a Federal facility. End of story.
I think the VA is in the right here. I help out at the local VA hospital and the VA is VERY protective of their patients. You are not allowed to take pictures of patients, conduct interviews or anything of the like without permission from the VA and the patient. Sadly many patients who live at the VA are not fully competent to understand what is going on and the system is in place to protect them.
Soldiers are only allowed to be exploited by service recruiters. Not news media reporters, eh?
Since “defeating” the Soviet Union (the commies). It seems as if the US is becoming like them. More and more, every day. All this secrecy about every aspect of our government, and our military services. All that said about them has to be pre-approved. For reason of national security, and homeland defense. And whatever other excuses they have for covering up mistakes and corruption. So I guess veterans can’t speak to any civilians about their crappy medical care. That’s how the VA solves its problems. Shut everyone up!
I’m sure Obama will put quit to this infringement of the 1st Amendment…
I suspect there are elements of truth to both sides of this story.
I do have to say, though, when the public affairs officer ‘demanded that Schultz hand over all his equipment or “I’m going to get ugly,” ‘ I would NOT have been able to suppress at least a snicker, though I MAY have been able to stop myself from saying, “Too late!”