It looks like the politics in Cape Vincent, New York, have become a bit testy over the last few days. In these two videos, Town Supervisor Thomas Reinbeck calls the police to remove a member of the audience who pulls out a camera and starts videotaping the proceedings.
For over seven minutes, a drama plays out as the camera sticks on Reinbeck’s face, and he goes through some uncomfortable contortions. Voices in the background from the audience and from other Town Supervisors play out an interesting debate. The Supervisors claim the camera is disruptive. Apparently, there have been clips from previous meetings used in ways that these politicians did not like.
Several members of the audience say they will protest the cameraman’s removal to the point of being arrested. Finally, when the police arrive, some sense is put into the head of the Supervisors and the camera remains.
It is worth watching the scene play out.
It is obvious that Reinbeck and his allies are over their heads as public officials. They cannot take the heat from sitting on a public board. Perhaps they have been treated unfairly in the past, but what politician has not. Nevertheless, to order the illegal removal of cameras from a public meeting is akin to shredding the Constitution.
