Is congress subject to the same laws as the rest of us?

[halplm]

Should Congressman Bob Etheridge be arrested for his clear assault and battery as seen on video?

It baffles me that this is even discussed as a political issue. Since when are congressmen above the law?

All the details

[JewelSong]

Have the people he assaulted filed any charges against him?

[halplm]

Not sure. I think that's the job of the police. They have plenty of evidence, and the congressman has as much as admitted it happened as can be seen on the video as he has apologized.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Based on the video that I saw, I doubt that someone who was not a congressperson would get charged for battery for that type of conduct, so I guess the real question is whether congresspeople should be subjected to a higher standard than the rest of us.

Nice to see you back again, hal.

[JewelSong]

And I do think that in this kind of case, the people involved would have to file charges.

What I saw was a person who happens to be a congressman acting like a jerk. I suppose that he could be guilty of assault, since he grabbed the man's arm...but I didn't see him hit with anything, so I don't think the charge of battery would stick. And unless the man who was grabbed pursues it, I doubt charges would be filed - and this would be true no matter who did the grabbing and what the circumstances.

Now, as someone on the link commented, the congressman should have known better - part of the gig is getting asked questions and the man asking the question was in no way rude or out of line. Maybe the congressman was having a bad day - but in my opinion, he should look for another day job if a couple of questions on the street send him into such a tizzy.

[River]

Watched it without sound (long story) so I've no idea what they were saying. It did not look friendly but it wasn't battery and I'm not sure an assault charge will stick. But it's a PR nightmare for sure.

And as I watched it I was multiple oppurtunities for the kid to have thrown that guy if he'd known how....

[Griffon64]

And as I watched it I was multiple oppurtunities for the kid to have thrown that guy if he'd known how....

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I watched it. Basically, all Congressman Bob Etheridge says is "Who are you?" over and over, at some point interpersed with "If you are going to approach me in public I have a right to know who you are" ( I'm paraphrasing from memory, only watched it once ) and all the students say are things along the lines of "We're just students, sir", "We're working on a project", and to the end "please let go of me, sir".

Setting aside whether you are a Democrat supporter who's inclined to defend a Democrat, or whether you are a Republican supporter inclined to vilify Democrats: I'm most curious about whether Congressman Bob Etheridge has a point when he says that he has a right to know who his confronters are. I don't know if it is neccesarily a legal right, but these students could maybe have introduced themselves with an "Excuse me, sir, may we ask you a question? We are students doing a project." Not that he was likely to pause for them, of course.

[ This reminds me of a project I was involved in as a student many, many years ago. Back then the video camera was enormous and hoisted over someone's shoulder. I remember being scared because I didn't think people on the street would appreciate having a camera shoved in their faces and being asked questions. ]

I think Congressman Bob Etheridge could have handled it a lot better. Specifically, he could have walked on instead of deciding to grab the student's arm and confronting him. I do think that laying your hands on a complete stranger who only asked a question is over the top. But definitely not "pressing charges" over the top or police pressing charges over the top.

The students appeared timid, overmatched, unsure of what they were doing. That may have fueled Congressman Bob Etheridge to puff out his figurative chest and push them around a bit to established who's boss. Most politicians don't end up where they're at by being nice folks now, do they?

I also think people's reactions would likely have been different if this was a Republican Congressman.

[Primula Baggins]

Well, he's a Blue Dog Democrat, as I understand it, so I don't think he'll find many defenders among the hippies. At least, I see no sign of it in the little I've read on the liberal blogs since it happened.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I also think people's reactions would likely have been different if this was a Republican Congressman.

You do realize that the site that hal linked to is a liberal site, and that Glen Greenwald, the author of the post calling for Etheridge's prosecution for battery, is a rather notorious liberal?

[yovargas]

The guy firmly grabbed a guy's arm for a minute. So what?

[Frelga]

And as I watched it I was multiple oppurtunities for the kid to have thrown that guy if he'd known how....

If he did, would that have been assault?

Have to wait till I'm home before I can watch.

[River]

The guy firmly grabbed a guy's arm for a minute. So what?

He also grabbed his neck and then forcibly put his arm around his shoulders...and my that would have been a beautiful time for a hip throw...

So many openings, so little time.

Frelga, I don't know. Which is probably why it's just as well the kid didn't throw anyone.

[Túrin Turambar]

Technically any application of force without consent is assault. In Queensland, I know that spitting on someone qualifies as assault. Still, police use their discretion in laying charges.

[Primula Baggins]

The kid would surely have been charged in this case (if he threw a Congressman). The DC establishment probably looks askance at things like that.

[Griffon64]

I also think people's reactions would likely have been different if this was a Republican Congressman.

You do realize that the site that hal linked to is a liberal site, and that Glen Greenwald, the author of the post calling for Etheridge's prosecution for battery, is a rather notorious liberal?

Yes. I made the comment because somehow I struggle to imagine a Republican Congressman in this position getting called out like that by, oh say, by Glenn Beck*.

There shouldn't be double standards for a Congressman versus a normal citizen, for a Republican Congressman among fellow Republicans or among Democrats, or the other way around. But there is.

For that matter, he shouldn't be prodded by a "rather notorious liberal" if the only reason that occurs is because he is a Blue Dog Democrat. People are people. The action should be treated consistently regardless of political affiliation of the commentator vs the perpetrator. Dragging politics into it just ... warms up the atmosphere. [ But, he's a politician. So it is unavoidable. I get it, I just wish energy could be expended on more constructive things. ]

For me, there was a line crossed when he grabbed the kid by the neck. Of course, I'm much more hot-headed than that kid and I would have attempted to forcefully free myself. Which is why I don't try to make a living by pointing video cameras at people and asking them questions.

*Standard disclaimer for touchy people: I am not equating or comparing Glenn Beck and Glen Greenwald at all. I liked the similar sounding first names, and I needed to throw an easily recognizable right-leaning name out there, is all.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Personally, I tend to think of Glenn and Glen as being largely in the same category, but that's just me. I think they both are so extreme that I tend to discount anything that either of them say. Which probably means that I miss out out some valid points from both of them.

[Griffon64]

Personally, I tend to think of Glenn and Glen as being largely in the same category, but that's just me. I think they both are so extreme that I tend to discount anything that either of them say. Which probably means that I miss out out some valid points from both of them.

I like how you think, V.

[River]

Griff, I think the line was crossed when he grabbed the kid's arm and started hauling on it. I honestly don't have much of a temper, but there are some things I just won't take and if it had been me, I would probably have sent the congressman in for wrist and maybe shoulder x-rays when that happened. But, at the same time, I wouldn't have approached him with a camera and a question either (not saying the kid asked for it, just saying the congressman is lucky he laid hands on a calmer type of person).

[vison]

Prime Minister Jean Chretien, while still in office, famously grabbed a protester by the throat and choked him for a few seconds. Even Conservatives rather admired him for doing it. Manly, and all that. You know, "Don't mess with me". A few people thought he went too far and there were rumblings about the police, but in the end, it didn't lead anywhere. Didn't hurt his reputation, either.

[River]

Okay, that just turned my image of Canada upside down.