Texas Lawmaker Receiving Death Threats for His Bill That Limits Photographing Cops

PETAPIXEL ^ | 03/21/15 | Michael Zhang

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Texas House of Representatives lawmaker Jason Villalba sparked quite a controversy earlier this month after proposing a bill that would make it illegal to photograph a police officer from within 25 feet. People were so angered by the idea that Villalba has received death threats from angry members of the public.

[PAR35]

Have you seen evidence that supports his allegations, or are you accepting his claims at face value?

[sickoflibs]

Clearly an AH. This is a First Amendment issue.

[JRandomFreeper]

At this point, I take the allegations seriously. I remain sceptical, but I've seen a lot of politicians get death threats, and it's always over the top.

That's my main point. Any death threats, to any politician, are over the top and need to be prosecuted.

Any lies to officials by this guy also need to be prosecuted.

/johnny

[Star Traveler]

I’m too easy to find or I would threaten him, too ... LOL ...

[SWAMPSNIPER]

As soon as they say "common sense" I get sceptical. I figure my common sense is as good as theirs.

They are playing the "don't you want to think what all these people think" game.

[TigersEye]

The first tweet on that page makes sense to me.

@JasonVillalba If Title 8, Ch. 38 of the TX Penal Code already makes it illegal to impede police activity, why is HB 2918 needed?

[SWAMPSNIPER]

It will have his NAME on it and people will think he is doing important stuff.

[TigersEye]

I don’t doubt that that is the sum total of his reason to push it. Self promotion and self aggrandizement.

[Reno89519]

And just how does this idiot Villalba think this is (1) constitutional, (2) in the public interest, or (3) enforceable? This just gives lying cops another reason to lie.

[Reno89519]

The public needs more protection FROM the police than the police needing protection from the public.

[Vermont Lt]

When I was working the streets as a photographer anything on the streets, or that could be seen from the street was fair game. If you were screwing your girlfriend in the park, I could take your photo. If a cop was beating a kid, I could take his photo.

What I could not do was get between the cop and the kid he was beating. And I could not cross a fire line.

These rules have been around for decades. The cops abuse them. The photographers play fast and loose with them. But it’s idiots with cell phones who don’t know the rules that are causing all of the problems.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Constitutional? Furthest thing from his mind. Old white guy stuff, ha ha!

[kiryandil]

These rules have been around for decades. The cops abuse them. The photographers play fast and loose with them. But it’s idiots with cell phones who don’t know the rules that are causing all of the problems.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

After all, the footage taken by myriad CCTVs can always be "deleted", n'est pas?

[vette6387]

“Lots of current republican Texas State office holders used to be hard core democrats.”

This seems to be a “malady” throughout the Southern States. These people are personified by Charlie Crist. Their sole motivation is to remain in office. Everything else is secondary. They obviously have no principles. They are a bit like Televangelists.

[familyop]

"He is a republican.
A dumb one.
Seems to be a lot of them."

Like other politicians, he knows which constituents have nearly all of the money in politics.

Heavy Hitters: Top All-Time Donors, 1989-2014
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php
American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees $60,949,129 [Democrat] 81% [Republican] 1%”

Leviathan [Mostly through federal funding to state and local governments.]
National Review ^ | 02/03/2011 | Iain Murray
"...nearly 40 million Americans employed in some way by government."

Add the tens of millions of government pensioners.

Their most prized current effort is that of overthrowing our Constitution through a scam.

[dragnet2]

“Make it illegal to photograph a police officer from within 25 feet?”

Can’t video from inside your own vehicle?

Regarding traffic stops, how could someone or an occupant of a vehicle video the stop? The cop is right outside the window just a couple feet away.

This would essentially outlaw taking video from your own vehicle.

Don’t elect this guy to anything.

[dragnet2]

I’ve seen people stick their phones in the faces of the police while they are trying to do their job. It’s really a damned shame that we now have to attempt to legislate common sense, which is always a bad idea.

You support making it illegal to take video from your own vehicle?

It seems this is exactly what this would do.

[familyop]

That’s a good point. Dash cams and/or bumper cams are good to have, and police can benefit from recorded video from those.

[dragnet2]

Countless times video evidence was obtained by vehicle occupants to support their version of events. At 25’ or even 15’, you won’t be able to take video from your vehicle.

This guy needs to be shown the door.

[Gaffer]

If there were real death threats, then there should have been police reports filed. Where are they?