Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst told HotAir’s Ed Morrissey that his office received reports that reporters were actively encouraging and rallying pro-abortion protesters during State Sen. Wendy Davis’ fillibuster last week.
We have reports and I have my staff taking a look at the video, the internet video that we keep, we store, on the proceedings that evening and if I find as I’ve been told examples of the media waving and trying to inflame the crowd, incite them in the direction of a riot, I’m going to take action against them. That is wrong. That’s inciting a riot. That is wrong. And we have a provision in our rules that if people do not deport themselves with decorum, they’re not respectful of the legislative process, one of our rules says we can imprison them up to 48 hours. Of course that was out of the question with that many people, but it is, we take a democratic policy seriously.
Reporters in Austin are reportedly troubled by the thought that Dewhurst might use legal action, even arrests, against any reporter found inciting the crowds in the gallery of the state legislature. None seemed to express any concern over the idea that so-called “objective journalists” were potentially participating in, or even encouraging, demonstrations on behalf of abortion.
Dewhurst went on to tell Morrissey that he is determined to help shepherd the abortion legislation despite the very vocal opposition. “These are common sense … measures that the majority, the big majority of Texans support, so I was frustrated. I’m not going to let a minority group of demonstrators — Planned Parenthood and ACLU — block the will of the majority. And I will pass this bill.”
Watch the entire interview here:
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.