Posted on 02/15/2019 7:43:51 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
A Salisbury University student has been charged with illegal wiretapping after prosecutors said he streamed a meeting with a congressional staffer for Maryland Rep. Andy Harris via Facebook Live without permission.
Jake Burdett, 20, was charged last week with two felony counts of making an illegal recording and distributing the video filmed during a Maryland Marijuana Justice rally at Harriss Salisbury office in October, the state prosecutors office announced Thursday.
Marijuana legalization protesters have long tangled with Harris, who in 2014 worked to block full legalization of the drug in the District of Columbia. A protest outside the Republicans Capitol Hill office last year led to the arrest of two demonstrators on charges of consumption of marijuana in a prohibited public space.
Burdett expects to plead plead guilty in Wicomico County on March 1 to one count of illegally taping and broadcasting, his attorney, Mark Goldstone, said Thursday.
State prosecutors allege Burdett and other advocates at the Salisbury rally agreed to meet with a congressional staffer in his office, which could only seat a few people. When another member of Harriss staff noticed several people on their phones, the group was told they were not allowed to record because of an office policy, the state prosecutors office said in its news release.
Burdett confirmed in an email Thursday that he continued to stream the meeting on Facebook Live without the staffers consent but said he was not aware it was against the law and deleted the footage the following day after finding out it was illegal, he said.
We need to ensure people are respecting boundaries set by Marylands wiretapping laws, said State Prosecutor Emmet Davitt in the release.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Do we still have the Bill of Rights?
I think it is past due and there hasn’t been a payment made in years.
Thank you for your reply. If you recall where and when you saw the article and would let me know, it would be much appreciated. I’d really like to know the specifics.
It is a Project Veritas case.
Project Veritas Action Fund
Plantiff
v.
Daniel F Conley
Suffolk County Dist Atty
Massachusetts Law Prohibiting Secret Recording of Public Officials Deemed Unconstitutional
US District Court for the District of Massachusetts Rules in Veritas Favor
[T]he Court holds that [Massachusetts law] may not constitutionally prohibit the secret audio recording of government officials
Filed on December 10, 2018, the United States District Court District of Massachusetts found, the First Amendment protects the right to record audio and video of government officials, deeming the law prohibiting secret recordings of government officials unconstitutional.
The unconstitutional law, enforceable in Massachusetts since 1968, allowed for a felony conviction for up to five years in prison, and a $10,000 for the secret recording of a public official.
Audio Recording is More Powerful Than Ordinary Reporting
The Court explained in the judgement that audio and audiovisual recording are uniquely reliable and powerful methods of preserving and disseminating news and information about events that occur in public. Their self-authenticating character makes it highly unlikely that other methods could be considered reasonably adequate substitutes.
The Court agreed in the judgment that secretly recording government officials is a basic, vital, and well-established liberty safeguarded by the First Amendment.
So...what about this other case then? And thanks for the post the summed it up very well.
Nothing in principle, but FR not simply meant to not inform but it is a forum, a place for an exchange of ideas and commenting and even debate thereof, and having to watch a video on a debatable issue - esp. one that is over an hour long - before being able to weigh in the merits of it militates against it. The author of such should be able to provide his main points in readable form.
The exceptions are when a vid is posted for entertainment or simply education vs. something quite debatable.
Sorry for the delay. Thanks for the information. I don’t know what to say about it. I am sure the definitive resolution will eventually be at the USSC level. Stay well.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.