It’s been a rough week for CNN. Chris Cuomo went ballistic after being called “Fredo,” which he and the network said was an anti-Italian slur. It’s not. Fredo is just the quasi-mentally handicapped brother from The Godfather. Okay—he’s not really mentally handicapped, but he’s not smart, easily manipulated, and betrayed his brother Michael, played by a young Al Pacino, in the film series. You’d get it if you see the movie. Anyway, Cuomo went off on a Trump supporter, threatening to throw him down some stairs. Then, CNN Host Don Lemon was slapped with a sexual assault allegation. Coming in third is April Ryan, whose security detail reportedly assaulted a journalist trying to film her address at an education conference in New Jersey (via Press Freedom Tracker):
Charlie Kratovil, founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, filed a police report alleging assault by a private security guard after being forcibly removed from covering an event on Aug. 3, 2019.
The NBT news team was invited to cover an education summit hosted by the non-profit Project Ready. Kratovil was covering the event on behalf of a reporter who could not, he tweeted, and planned to record the gala ceremonies and post the video to the outlet’s YouTube channel without any editing. Kratovil said he was there for the keynote speech, given by White House correspondent and CNN analyst April Ryan.
Kratovil told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that when he checked in and set up his camera at about 6:45 p.m., the public relations officials did not inform him that there would be any limitations or restrictions on filming the proceedings. Kratovil said that he was able to film the first hour and a half of the event without issue.
When Rep. Donald Payne took the stage to introduce Ryan at approximately 8:30 p.m., Kratovil tweeted, he was approached by a man who said he was “with the speaker,” and asked Kratovil to identify himself. He did so and said he had received approval to cover the event. The man left, Kratovil wrote, but returned and threatened to “take down” his camera if Kratovil did not do so himself.
Kratovil refused.
[…]
In Kratovil’s video, security guard Morris can be seen approaching Ryan onstage, who pauses her speaking, appears to look at Kratovil’s camera and nods. Ryan remains silent as Morris then walks towards Kratovil’s camera, grabs it and walks off.
In the video, which keeps recording, Ryan resumes speaking as Morris grabs the camera and is heard trying to explain the interruption. “When I speak, I don’t have news covering my speech,” Ryan said, adding that she wanted to have an “unfettered conversation with you all.”
However, New Brunswick-based reporter Chuck O’Donnell from TAPInto, a network of local news websites, was allowed to remain in the room.
After #FredoGate & @donlemon being accused of sexual assault, I know it’s been a tough week for @CNNPR, but are you guys going to stand up for press freedom or are you ok with assaults on journalists? Are there going to be repercussions for @CNN “political analyst” @AprilDRyan? https://t.co/J2k3EDpjKB
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 14, 2019
In the police report, Kratovil alleges to have been placed in a “compliance hold” that caused trauma to one of his wrists. Okay—whatever the case, shouldn’t this be considered an attack on the press that CNN and every other media outlet huffs and puffs about when Trump…tweets something bad about them? This was an alleged assault. Trump pokes, prods, and brutalizes this insufferable industry and their pundits on a daily basis—and rightfully so. So, April Ryan and her goons, and this applies to her colleagues as well who roll around with private security, can manhandle reporters for filming and documenting their public appearances, but Trump can’t fight back when they peddle fake news about him? Two separate sets of rules again. Donald Trump Jr. weighed in, and while it’s trolling at its best—he also asks the anti-Trump network a legitimate question: Will Ryan be sanctioned?
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