WATCH: Alabama Legislator Threatens Reporter With A Golf Club

video

by Hillary Busis | 8:34 pm, October 20th, 2010

» 33 comments

Yesterday, we showed you a video of a Puerto Rican legislator making unwanted advances on a female journalism student, courtesy of ABC News. As it turns out, there’s more where that came from. ABC has just released another video of a lawmaker behaving badly: This time, they caught an Alabama state legislator threatening a journalist with a golf club.

This video, like the last one, was filmed this summer in Louisville, Kentucky. State lawmakers were in town to attend the annual National Conference of State Legislatures. Dan Lieberman, a student at Columbia University’s Journalism School, traveled to a golf course to catch up with a group of lawmakers from Alabama, who were being treated to a game by Alabama gaming lobbyist Greg Jones.

Lieberman asked the group whether they were golfing rather than attending the conference. Though Jones and one state representative answered his questions without incident, a third man, Rep. Artis McCampbell, was hostile to Lieberman.

“I have nothing to say,” McCampbell said brusquely after Lieberman began questioning him. When the reporter repeated himself, McCampbell responded by pulling a golf club out of his bag.

“Look, if you don’t want me to take this to you, leave,” he said.

Though the legislator wasn’t exactly waving the club in Lieberman’s face, his statement is fairly shocking—especially since McCampbell knew he was being filmed. See the video for yourself below.

ABC News, alabama

Big Eddie

When they don’t mention what party , it’s a Democrat . http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Artis_J._McCampbell
Some_Dude

Big Eddie said:
When they don’t mention what party , it’s a Democrat . http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Artis_J._McCampbell

Does it matter in the context of this story? Or at all, when an elected official is caught on tape threatening a reporter?
Moderate

When it is a Republican it is displayed in big bold letters and talked about continuously on MSNBC.
Some_Dude

Moderate said:
When it is a Republican it is displayed in big bold letters and talked about continuously on MSNBC.

Why do you assume this won’t make the rounds on every station? Of course it will. Just expect extra special analysis from Fox News. You know, because they’re fair and balanced.
timzank

If it had been a Republican, the film would have been released last summer. That day. Just admit it guys, when it’s a dem they treat it differently, period. Man up and admit the truth, we’re all adults and it’s painfully obvious over and over again…
Dem4Ever

Had the legislator been white then his political affiliation probably would have been stated since whites are diverse and not monolithic in their views. Since the offender was black and 90% + are Democrat…well, you get the picture.
timzank

Dem4Ever said:
Had the legislator been white then his political affiliation probably would have been stated since whites are diverse and not monolithic in their views. Since the offender was black and 90% + are Democrat…well, you get the picture.

Well, yes, being black AND a dem will usually get ya a pass on most things.
alamo2

Big Eddie said:
When they don’t mention what party , it’s a Democrat . http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Artis_J._McCampbell

Man, Ed, you’re on here ALL the time! Does your boss know that?
alamo2

Moderate said:
When it is a Republican it is displayed in big bold letters and talked about continuously on MSNBC.

When it is a Democrat it is displayed in big bold letters and talked about continuously on Fox (especially those nitwits in the morning).
Dem4Ever

timzank said:
Well, yes, being black AND a dem will usually get ya a pass on most things.

That goes without saying.
alamo2

timzank said:
If it had been a Republican, the film would have been released last summer. That day. Just admit it guys, when it’s a dem they treat it differently, period. Man up and admit the truth, we’re all adults and it’s painfully obvious over and over again…

You should change your blinders, Rush.
alamo2

timzank said:
Well, yes, being black AND a dem will usually get ya a pass on most things.

Well, I guess you cleared up whether or not you were a member of the KKK, didn’t you?
alamo2

Dem4Ever said:
timzank said:
Well, yes, being black AND a dem will usually get ya a pass on most things.
That goes without saying.

Ooh, another member of the KKK! Do you guys have matching sheets?
The Real Royal King

timzank said:
Well, yes, being black AND a dem will usually get ya a pass on most things.

Bitterness, thy name is Tim Z. Ank.
The Lantern of Truth

alamo2 said:
Ooh, another member of the KKK! Do you guys have matching sheets?

Ted heer . yer dum .
timzank

The Real Royal King said:
Bitterness, thy name is Tim Z. Ank.

Those are just the facts boyz….why do you continue to dance around it? It took three months for both of these politicians “bad behavior” to come to light, why????

Because one was Puerto Rican and the other a black democrat. Everyone reading this blog knows in damn well had these guys been white republicans it would have run on all three networks the very same night it happened. If you deny that you are a liar.
The Real Royal King

timzank said:
Those are just the facts boyz….why do you continue to dance around it? It took three months for both of these politicians “bad behavior” to come to light, why???? Because one was Puerto Rican and the other a black democrat. Everyone reading this blog knows in damn well had these guys been white republicans it would have run on all three networks the very same night it happened. If you deny that you are a liar.

Duh! Who made the film? For what purpose? Was it unconnected vignettes? Did it start as a news story? But, please, enjoy your paranoia.
alamo2

timzank said:
Because one was Puerto Rican and the other a black democrat. Everyone reading this blog knows in damn well had these guys been white republicans it would have run on all three networks the very same night it happened. If you deny that you are a liar.

Well, I’m not a liar. I think you are a filthy racist. You and your ilk were certainly not what I had in mind when I served my country in the army. You are disgusting.
timzank

TRRK, Why is it so hard for you to just be upfront? There’s no shame in cheering for your side is there?, why do you guys always act like life is fair and everyone is always getting the same treatment? It’s preposterous and makes you look like fools when you don’t just admit it.

These two guys got a delayed release on their bad behavior, and they were not identified by party and they certainly would have had the been republicans.
The Real Royal King

timzank said:
TRRK, Why is it so hard for you to just be upfront? There’s no shame in cheering for your side is there?, why do you guys always act like life is fair and everyone is always getting the same treatment? It’s preposterous and makes you look like fools when you don’t just admit it. These two guys got a delayed release on their bad behavior, and they were not identified by party and they certainly would have had the been republicans.

Paranoid and prickly is no way to go through life, Tim Z. Angst.
timzank

alamo2 said:
Well, I’m not a liar. I think you are a filthy racist. You and your ilk were certainly not what I had in mind when I served my country in the army. You are disgusting.

Thanks for your service, (if you’re telling the truth about that, you’re remarks are rather undisciplined for an army man) but you’re still a fucking idiot and a liar if you don’t see a bias in the way this was reported (3 months late) and with out a party affiliation.
The Real Royal Knig

timzank said:
TRRK, Why is it so hard for you to just be upfront? There’s no shame in cheering for your side is there?, why do you guys always act like life is fair and everyone is always getting the same treatment? It’s preposterous and makes you look like fools when you don’t just admit it. These two guys got a delayed release on their bad behavior, and they were not identified by party and they certainly would have had the been republicans.

Much like the case of Mediaite not reporting Specter (D) telling Michele Bachmann to “ACT LIKE A LADY” but jumping all over Angle (R) telling Reid to “man up”; the paranoia is inexplicable.
cd ohio

mediaite is left wing, newsbusters right wing , read both and the truth is in the middle, easy
bealzebubba

^^^say it again, brutha!! say it again!
writer

Since the guy was black, the King even passed up going into one of his anti-Alabama tirades. See, political correctness does pay off sometimes.
timzank

writer said:
Since the guy was black, the King even passed up going into one of his anti-Alabama tirades. See, political correctness does pay off sometimes.

good observation writer….
the real john t

timzank said:
These two guys got a delayed release on their bad behavior, and they were not identified by party and they certainly would have had the been republicans.

Well you don’t really have to worry about that do you. Since Republicans have no blacks in Congress. Now who’s the racist party?
sarainitaly

Big Eddie said:
When they don’t mention what party , it’s a Democrat . http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Artis_J._McCampbell

Funny how that works, huh?

I think Mediaite is promoting the *scary black man* image here.
;O)
Contessa

I’m hardly horrified. I smack a mosquito when it won’t stop bugging me, too.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jonathan-Scott/654124552 Jonathan Scott

sarainitaly said:
Funny how that works, huh?

I think Mediaite is promoting the *scary black man* image here.
;O)

Of course they are, they wouldn’t be a true media outlet if they weren’t trying to scare old white people.
writer

What do you have against old white people?
NORBIT

Hillary, don’t you mean:

Rep. Artis McCampbell (D)

I’m sure the party affiliation was just an oversight!!
dahni

I don’t mind journalists doing investigative projects, but am really tired of them getting in the faces of anyone in situations like this. Rude, crude and unattractive and another reason I no longer trust or respect any journalist or news commentator.