I’m not joking about either. Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci (R) told Politico that a neighbor had caught somebody doing precisely that, and I’m pretty sure Politico believes him: they have collected some really, really creepy videos (including one targeting Renacci) of what is apparently an organized effort to sit outside candidate/legislator houses and businesses and… film them. In many cases, going for a 360 degree shot that shows the entire exterior – and if you haven’t already gotten a certain wariness from this new wrinkle in the political process, then really, that last bit should be setting off alarm bells. There’s a point where this sort of thing becomes ‘casing’ a place; looking for weak points in building security qualifies.
The truly crazy bit? This is apparently under the aegis of the Democrats themselves: “Democrats, on the other hand, insist the videos are fair game — and are unapologetic about the hardball tactics.” The videos are apparently being sponsored by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (at least, that’s how I’m interpreting DCCC spokesman Jesse Ferguson’s defiant defense of the practice); certainly there seems to be a common format, and it’s been done in multiple locations at this point. Which basically means that the DCCC is out and out stalking the Republican party.
Again, I’m not joking. Lurking in bushes.
Let me make it clear, by the way: following candidates around? Part of the game. Hanging out in public places for hours on end, waiting for said candidates to appear (and hopefully do something career-ending)? Well, that’s kind of obsessive and sad, but then the press routinely films Air Force One taking off and landing, just in case something bad happens. That’s just – business, in other words. Taking movies of a candidate’s house and/or business, then posting them on the Internet? Yeah, you’re… messed… up in the head. And I can’t believe that the DCCC hasn’t worked out yet that they’re one lone sociopath away from the Mother Of All Lawsuits…
Via @SissyWillis.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
Stalker laws, folks. This is the kind of thing they were invented for. And it’s not as if the evidence would be hard to produce.
This appears to me to be strong evidence that the YouTubing of congressional candidates has passed a noticeable point of diminishing returns. I mean, look at what has to be done to achieve the meager “results” of trying to portray the other as being “Out of Touch.”
Think of all the ways this could be reported in the media if they wanted to make the party doing this look bad.
1 – zero privacy for the cameramen. Find out who they are and expose them, just for revenge.
2 – any flaws the cameramen have, broadcast that to the world.
3 – suggest that the party is sending dangerous people to harass the candidates, creating a risk of assassination.
4 – suggest that the party is openly encouraging the assassination of candidates, because they know the cameramen are homicidal maniacs.
But the liberal media won’t do that, because they’re running interference for the Dems. If they report on the story at all, it will be on the Republicans’ reaction. “Republicans react badly to first amendment free speech” “Republicans react badly to scrutiny” etc.
Sooner or later the media will report “both sides videotaping houses” and bring up some obscure incident from 15 years ago when a lone right-wing activist did something that bears little resemblance to what Democrats are doing now in an organized fashion.
Is it just me or does this sort of behavior sound just a mite desperate to anyone else?
Mikey: it’s just a bit desperate, yeah. 🙂 The Left’s problem here is that they know what ending that they want, but they’re falling over their own preconceived – and subtly flawed – vision of the universe.
Subtly flawed? That’s understating the problem.
This is gona end badly for the Democrats.