Brickbat: Transparent Government

A Justice Department attorney tried to kick a reporter out of a public meeting in New Iberia, Louisiana. Rachel Hranitzky entered a meeting being held on hiring practices in the city's fire department, which is under a federal consent decree, and announced that the meeting could not be recorded and she could not be quoted by the media. When a reporter asked what law allowed her to make those demands, she said it was Justice Department policy. She said if the reporter didn't follow her demands the Justice Department could call his editor and publisher.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

...she said it was Justice Department policy.

Ooo, even at the top levels of law enforcement they understand that internal policies trump everything. EVERYTHING.

[Fist of Etiquette]

After the meeting, her demeanor softened and she told the reporter she didn't want to be rude it was only that her bosses demand she not be quoted in the paper. She said other reporters had quoted her and she had gotten into big trouble. She said if she was quoted she could lose her job and that was the reason for her demands.

WTF? She's an attorney and she can figure out how to make a wrongful termination lawsuit out of that? If that claim is true then it sounds like leaving the DoJ might be for the best anyway.

[Whiterun Guard]

Women shouldn't hold jobs requiring exertion of authority. We already knew that.

[invisible furry hand]

you, old man, sit down and shut up!

[Whiterun Guard]

It's so sexy when you get all bossy, sweetheart.

[invisible furry hand]

always happy to give you some cheap thrills

[Whiterun Guard]

Even though I'm pretty rich, I prefer my thrills that way.

[Cdr Lytton]

OT: Nobel committee awards Optimism Peace Prize to the EU.

"Outstanding!"

[Whiterun Guard]

Well you have to give them points for thinking outside the box.

[Cdr Lytton]

Oh! It's getting better. Committee head blames Europe's problems on the U.S. at the news conference.

[invisible furry hand]

Johan Norberg ?has pointed out that "The Nobel prize is sufficient to fund the EU agricultural policy's destruction of food markets and third world countries for 14 minutes."

[Whiterun Guard]

Are we sure the Nobel committee isn't full of hipsters, and they're giving these out ironically?

[Bardas Phocas]

I blame Bush.

[Pound. Head. On. Desk.]

Well you have to give them points for thinking outside the box.

"Box?" There's a box? Hang on! Nobody told me there's a box! Can you get them at WalMart?

[Pudgeboy]

It's like Algore's SS lockbox... it only exists in your imagination.

[Copernicus]

Allow me to shed some light on this and further illuminate how stupid this lawyer is.

She works for a government agency. Like all such persons, she has been told not to give interviews or speak to the press without clearance. Further, she should direct all media requests to her agency PR dept.

She, then interprets that restriction on her as a restriction on all media with regards to her.

"Dumb as Dirt" is an expression that comes to mind.

[Fluffy]

^This. This is almost certainly exactly what happened.

Also note that someone this fucking stupid was able to get through law school, pass the bar, and get a job as a Justice Department lawyer.

[sarcasmic]

People don't get jobs with the government because they can make money in the private sector.

[Whiterun Guard]

They do it because they have noble intentions and want to serve society?

[Groovus Maximus]

Isn't that police officers, teachers, and firemen?

[Whiterun Guard]

ALL public employees. You owe them everything because they are sacrificing themselves for you.

Except for the military who are mooching scum who are too dumb to graduate high school.

[Tulpa (LAOL-PA)]

So public workers are overpaid and have benefits that are way beyond what private sector workers get... AND no one who can make money in the private sector would ever want to be a public worker.

Sounds like you need to pick one narrative or the other.

[Chris Mallory]

The proper response would have been, "Shall I call my editor for you?"

[Rich]

Or, "Shall I call Mr. Holder for you?"

[Death Rock and Skull]

Ooh, you're going to call my employer? Sometimes getting complaints is a good thing.