The Star Ledger reports a controversy has arisen over allegations that Governor Christie used state police to photograph hecklers and protestors at his town hall meeting, in Chris Christie prepared for protesters, hecklers at town hall in South River.
A few hours after the town hall ended in South River today, a top state Senate Democrat accused the administration of using a "Nixonian tactic", citing published reports that claimed a state trooper took pictures of protesters escorted from the meeting.
"Having undercover State Police officers taking photos of people who are exercising their right of free expression at the governor’s Town Hall meeting is a Nixonian tactic that has no place in New Jersey or anywhere else in this country," state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) said in a statement. "I can’t imagine what rationalization the governor would have for allowing this to happen but it comes across as an act of political intimidation."
Both Politicker NJ, and the Associated Press report "a man taking photos of the protestors identified himself a member of the State Police."
A spokesperson for Governor Christie's office would not comment on the allegations and referred questions to the State Police.
In this event around a dozen protesters stood in unison to start shouting:
They rose in unison from their seats, chanting "Governor Christie, we are here to demand, you stop your corrupt uses, of Hurricane Sandy money," an apparent reference to the management of Sandy relief aid.
(The Governor had said earlier) He’s seen it before and had predicted he’d be heckled in his opening remarks.
"I’m a soothsayer," Christie said as State Police officers escorted the protesters out of St. Mary Coptic School.
I don't know what to think about this. It seems possible to me the State Police could have decided to do this on their own, and there does not seem to be any direct link yet to Governor Christie. It is still worth reporting as Senator Weinberg is a leading New Jersey political leader and the issues she raises are real. I look forward to your discussion of these issues.
Police photography is going to intimidate some, and these protesters left peaceful, and broke no laws. On the other hand, if some attack were made, by one of these people, in the future, the police would probably be criticized for not taking more precautions. The Star Ledger reports that after nearly 100 town halls with minimal security, security was visibly ramped up last week with "wanding" by a metal detector after protesters started to show up.
If someone else has not already published about this while I was writing, I'll put up a poll asking if you think State Police should be photographing peaceful protesters at town hall meetings.
8:10 AM PT: Yikes, I made an error in one of the poll responses, Where it says "No, I don't believe in any mass surveillance." It should read "Yes, and I don't believe in any mass surveillance. And, yes, I did notice that I spelled surveillance with an "e." I did that on purpose to see how alert my readers are this morning. :-)