Cross-posted at Left Coast Rebel
Tony Hopfinger, an irrational, out-of-control Left-Wing blogger-activist, was detained by security detail at a Joe Miller town hall meeting. Tony admits he started a shoving match with Miller security.
Left-wingers are clearly jubilant at the opportunity to ignore most of the facts and to pretend to be shocked:
Elizabeth Kennen: "Joe Miller displays his conservative principles - Liberty! Freedom! You're arrested for asking questions!"
Ian Richetti: "Joe Miller really doesn't comprehend that whole 'Freedom of the Press' thing. Liberty indeed."
koulflo: "joe miller, rand paul, christine o'donnell, sheryl angle, carl palladino, ron johnson. pretty much all haters."
Dan Riehl provides some essential background info on Tony and his blog, The Alaska Dispatch:
The Alaska Dispatch is not much more than the equivalent of a Lefty blog playing pretend journalists. They embarassed themselves when they came at me over the Murkowski cocaine allegations and appear to have a vested interest in trying to hurt Joe Miller's campaign for the Senate. At one point, this Tony Hopfinger was a HuffPo contributer, so it should be no surprise that they're covering Hopfinger's unhinged nonsense, too. You can Google him to see his many links to progressivism.
Thomas Lamb has more:
Yesterday afternoon I attended the Joe Miller Town Hall and it was a good event until it ended. When I attend these events, although I support Miller, I will hold a critical eye.I will also stay in the back to observe the audience to see their reaction and I will also watch how the press act...Here is what actually happened - Hopfinger was aggressive in his pursuit - Miller's security was trying to keep Hopfinger from Miller's path and at a distance so Miller could leave. As Miller's security tried to push Hopfinger out of Miller's path and keep him at a distance, Hopfinger kept pushing in on Miller.Miller then reversed course and as he did, Tony began to follow Miller - two men in Miller's security detail stayed back and the scuffle between Hopfinger and the security detail began as a shoving match.At that point Miller was gone from the scene....There comes a point to where a person passes the point of getting answers to then becoming a person who is harassing an individual. And Tony Hopfinger crossed the line when it was clear Miller changed his direction because of Hopfinger engaging Miller's security detail in what started off as a shoving match.What I also found interesting was the set-up that took place between blogger Jesse Griffin - who when leaving was asking where Tony was. Notably - Griffin was with the individual who asked the question on why Miller was a Welfare Queen.And leave it to political hacks like Andrew Halcro to say Miller ordered the arrest - when Miller wasn't even there when the security team detained Hopfinger.
Statement from the Miller campaign:
While I've gotten used to the blog Alaska Dispatch's assault on me, I never thought it would lead to a physical assault. It's too bad that this blogger would take advantage of a "town hall" meeting to create a publicity stunt just two weeks before the election.The Miller campaign was required by the facility to provide security at the event. Even though Joe had spent more than 40 minutes answering questions from those in attendance, the blogger chased Miller to the exit after the event concluded in an attempt to create and then record a "confrontation" with the candidate. While Miller attempted to calmly exit the facility, the blogger physically assaulted another individual and made threatening gestures and movements towards the candidate.At that point, the security personnel had to take action and intervened and detained the irrational blogger, whose anger overcame him."
