What Does Baron Hill Have to Hide?

Baron Hill is holding a town hall on Thursday evening in Seymour.

Hill to Hold Town Hall Meeting in Seymour Thursday

(Washington, DC) -

WHO: Congressman Baron Hill and interested members of the community.

WHAT: Congressman Baron Hill will give a brief update of legislative action in Congress, and then open it up to questions from the audience.

WHEN: Thursday, August 7, 2008, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. (EDT).

WHERE: Seymour City Hall
Room 301
309 N. Chestnut St.
Seymour, IN.

*Press encouraged to attend this event. Only accredited media will be permitted to record the event.

It's open to the public and it's in a public building, but the public won't be able to record the event.

It isn't clear to me how Baron could stop someone from recording the event if they tried; it is a public event in a public place.

Media accreditation has utterly nothing to do with the public's right to know what their members of Congress have to say (and I think that there are sunshine and public disclosure laws that might prohibit what they are trying to do).

What does Baron Hill have to hide? Does the public not have a right to see the statements of their elected representatives?

This is a tactic right out of the handbook of Nancy Pelosi; right now she has turned off the lights, cameras, and microphones in the House of Representatives to try and censor Republicans who just want an up-or-down vote on oil drilling.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised that Baron Hill looks to someone like Nancy Pelosi for event planning and political advice.

Baron probably fears facing an overwhelmingly hostile crowd.

I suspect that he won't find a warm and friendly reception, even in his hometown.

Heck they won't have to be Republicans; Baron is in plenty of trouble with Jackson County Democrats because of his broken promises, his publicly calling a certain leading Democrat a liar, and his endorsement of Barack Obama.

Will the "accredited" media report on it?

Or will someone stealthily tape the event regardless?

Will Baron's staff or the Seymour police be forced to make a scene and throw someone out?

I seriously doubt the latter; Seymour has a Republican mayor who doubtless believes in transparency and open government, unlike Baron.

I hope to see some fireworks; that sort of incident would get more press than the event itself.