Looks like Joe Miller didn't count on one thing: The persistence of the media which he detests.
Turns out all it takes is for journalists to do their jobs, until the truth comes out.......
From Tony Hopfinger's site, Alaska Dispatch, we have this:
A Valley woman who witnessed the incident involving Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller and the editor of Alaska Dispatch on Sunday says the journalist, Tony Hopfinger, did not threaten Miller and that the whole thing should never have escalated into a police matter.
Lolly Symbol says she drove in from Big Lake with her two young sons because she was a staunch Miller supporter and wanted to ask him a question about his stance on gun control.
"I would say Tony was aggressive, and I would say he was rude because he interrupted me, but he didn't do anything wrong and he wasn't posing a threat to Miller," Symbol said.
She said Miller tried to get away from the reporter and in doing so put his hand on her arm and pushed her aside. Her 8-year-old son, Vincent Mahoney, was standing right behind her, and Miller bowled him over in his attempt to get away. "I don't know if [Miller] didn't see him or didn't care, but he didn't say 'excuse me' or 'I'm sorry'. He didn't even turn his head," Symbol said. "He simply did not care at all."
Let's see how Joe Miller discredits one of his own supporters in his attempt to cover up his abuse of a reporter who had every right to be at this town-hall event.
Her name is Symbol. How fitting. Poetically fitting.
The video we've all seen by now only shows how Tony was treated AFTER he tried to get an answer to a question from Miller. This eyewitness account from Joe's SUPPORTER should seal the deal.
It will be very interesting to see Joe's reaction to both the video and his own supporter's account of what happened. And let's hope this gets airplay on ALL the main media outlets. EVERYONE in Alaska should see who they were about to elect their Senator.
I'll leave you with this final quote from Symbol:
"I do not believe that he [Hopfinger] did anything wrong," she said. "He was rude and he was aggressive but that's just what the press does. Legally he did not do anything wrong that deserved to be put in cuffs."
UPDATE: I was in such a haste to get this up that I missed this (h/t to bjhunt!!):
"The whole thing just made me sick," she said. "I was a big supporter of Joe Miller, I really was. But not anymore.
UPDATE II: The plot thickens. Not only was Drop-Zone owner, William Fulton UN-registered to run a security operation, looks like he hired ACTIVE-MILITARY as thugs, who didn't have clearance to do such work (h/t to Positronicus)
... Meanwhile, the Army says that two of the guards who assisted in the arrest of the journalist and who tried to prevent two other reporters from filming the detention were active-duty soldiers moonlighting for Miller's security contractor, the Drop Zone, a Spenard surplus store and protection service.
The soldiers, Spc. Tyler Ellingboe, 22, and Sgt. Alexander Valdez, 31, are assigned to the 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Richardson. Maj. Bill Coppernoll, the public affairs officer for the Army in Alaska, said the two soldiers did not have permission from their current chain of command to work for the Drop Zone, but the Army was still researching whether previous company or brigade commanders authorized their employment.
UPDATE III - Personal Responsibility Edition - William Fulton, owner of Drop-Zone is throwing his employees under the bus:
Miller's chief guard at the Middle School event, Drop Zone owner William Fulton, said it wasn't his job to ensure soldiers complied with the regulations, though he said he informs them of their duty.
"They're adults -- they are responsible for themselves," Fulton said.
He said the two soldiers called him Monday and said they may be in trouble.
No disrespect directed at our Alaskan Kossacks, but if Miller gets elected after all this, we need to LET Alaska secede from the union. (just kidding!!) Jeez, ya can't write one diary without pissing SOMEONE off, can ya?