By Carlos Miller
A man representing the Colorado Republican Party said ALF-CIO officials forced him to delete video footage of a democratic senator making a speech.
But union organizers claim he voluntarily erased the video tape.
Now the local sheriff’s department is investigating to see who is telling the truth.
The Denver Post article does not specify if any of the parties involved are familiar with file recovery software, which would answer the question immediately.
The incident occurred Saturday when Colorado GOP aide Matt Milner dialed 911 claiming union organizers had blocked his exit and were demanding him to erase a video recording he had made of Democratic Senator Michael Bennet after a townhall meeting sponsored by the AFL-CIO.
But Mike Cerbo, executive director of the Colorado AFL-CIO, said Milner came looking for trouble and offered to erase the tape because he had not been invited.
Now I’m pro-union but I’m not going to let that stop me from calling bullshit on Cerbo.
For one thing, Milner has videotaped at least a dozen of Bennet’s events. It is part of the GOP strategy to keep tabs on their democratic opponents and for all we know, the democrats do (or should do) the same to the republicans.
As long as the speech is open to the public, then it would be unrealistic to think they can prevent a member of the opposing party to videotape a speech. We’re not talking closed door meetings here.
In fact, Saturday’s event at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ Local 68 union hall was billed as an “everyone’s welcome” invitation.
Cerbo accused Milner of being a “trespasser”. If that were the case, then Cerbo would have every right to ask him to leave. But not to delete his footage.
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Fernandez, as I mentioned in a 
Carlos,
I can assure you that Democrats video tape Republicans all the time.
This sounds like the typical BS. Oh you’re taking photos or video. That’s not allowed because we say it’s not allowed. Well they just don’t want to be embarrassed. No delete what you have. Oh, you aren’t cooperating with us. You’re a trouble maker just looking for trouble. You’re a trespasser. Just the normal escalation of things and so predictable
When they blocked his ability to leave they kidnapped him. I guess they had to leave that part out of it.
It’ll be interesting to see what the Sheriff come up with.
As I was writing this, it almost felt as if I were rewriting the VA story.
Note to Carlos Miller:
First, I’ll note that Mike Cerbo’s came looking for trouble remark is one of the standard arguments that I’ve mentioned before in a LEO context; i.e., the asking for it argument. Most people simply dismiss arguments of this type and move on. To me, it’s not something to be dismissed. It’s more significant. It’s a gaping hole. There’s no such thing as asking for it. There’s only proportionate response and disproportionate response. I’ve never understood why people aren’t able to perceive this. I haven’t reviewed this case, so I can’t comment on the level of response. However, I do know that as soon as somebody uses the asking for it argument, they’re essentially admitting that they’re in the wrong.
Second, I asked you a question elsewhere that you may not have seen or that you may have been too busy to answer. I thought I’d ask it one more time. If PDF versions of your briefs exist, they’re probably small files. Is there any reason that you couldn’t put copies of the PDF files on this site? I’d be interested in seeing them, but for technical reasons I won’t be able to use Scribd at this time. HTML or text versions would work just as well.
Erase the tape? How the hell do you erase the tape? It’s not like a computer where you can remove it from the hard drive (which -I- could get back), this requires over-writing the tape itself. Or running an electromagnet over the surface. Erasing a tape is hard, and not something built in to common cameras.
@Duane:
It wouldn’t be kidnapping. That involves actually transporting someone against their will.
At most it would be false imprisonment, but I doubt anyone would bother to file charges.
Kurt,
I was depending on this definition:
2C:13-1 Kidnapping.
2C:13-1. Kidnapping. a. Holding for ransom, reward or as a hostage. A person is guilty of kidnapping if he unlawfully removes another from the place where he is found or if he unlawfully confines another with the purpose of holding that person for ransom or reward or as a shield or hostage.
b.Holding for other purposes. A person is guilty of kidnapping if he unlawfully removes another from his place of residence or business, or a substantial distance from the vicinity where he is found, or if he unlawfully confines another for a substantial period, with any of the following purposes:
(1)To facilitate commission of any crime or flight thereafter;
(2)To inflict bodily injury on or to terrorize the victim or another;
(3)To interfere with the performance of any governmental or political function; or
(4)To permanently deprive a parent, guardian or other lawful custodian of custody of the victim.
They are facilitating the crime of robbery by requiring Milner to delete his images before he will be allowed to leave. It could also be argued that they were interfering with a political function. The definition of substantial period has been debated over time. I thought it fit in this case.