ABC Investigative Reporter Brian Ross, roughed up by Bachmann thugs, er, bodyguards

[cali]

Account: Bachmann bodyguards rough up reporter, campaign gives its story
By: CNN Political Producer Shannon Travis

Washington (CNN) – Rep. Michele Bachmann's campaign is giving its version of what happened at a campaign appearance on Tuesday amid claims that two Bachmann bodyguards "manhandled" a reporter who was trying to question the presidential candidate.

At issue is an altercation involving the Minnesota Republican and ABC News investigative reporter Brian Ross at a campaign stop in Aiken, South Carolina.

"It didn't happen the way Brian is describing it," Bachmann press secretary Alice Stewart told CNN. "He was repeatedly asked by our security people to stay off the stage and he jumped up on there anyway."

Bachmann was on stage for a political event and afterwards, she responded to a report that she has debilitating migraine headaches. A report in the Daily Caller earlier Tuesday was headlined, "Stress-related condition 'incapacitates' Bachmann; heavy pill use alleged."

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http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/19/account-bachmann-bodyguards-rough-up-reporter-campaign-gives-its-story/

[SpiralHawk]

1. RepubliThuggery (R)

Beating up truth seekers is a Republicon Family Cesspool Value.

[socialist_n_TN]

9. The Brown Shirts used to do that

Closer and closer to outright fascism every day.

[underpants]

2. Will she have migraines when the 3AM call comes?

:shrug:

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

7. seriously.. if she gets one migraine a week

that puts her out of commission for several days at time, it is a pretty good bet she will be out of it at 3am, when the call comes.

[Cool Logic]

3. If this guy was on the stage, and refused get off...

I don't see where they had a choice. That's what bodyguards are paid to do.

[gratuitous]

4. That's Bachmann's press secretary's story, at least

My reading of a preliminary report on Daily Kos indicates that there is ABC footage, so we'll get a chance to see for ourselves if Ross "jumped" up on the stage. Michael Crowley of Time magazine is mentioned there as saying that Ross was roughed up pretty good by Bachmann's security contingent.

[K8-EEE]

5. But the incident didn't happen on stage but when he was

asking her questions when she was walking to her car, where he walked after her shouting questions in a way which was described "as reporters usually do."

:shrug:

[Bunny]

8. Like when she was held in the ladies room against her will by two middle aged women?

:eyes: Sounds like Michelle has a problem with answering questions. Such odd behavior for a politician, but then, she's fucking nuts so nothing surprises me.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1302243

[Bonhomme Richard]

6. It's when she tries to think. The strain causes them. n/t

[malaise]

10. They are ReTHUGS

What else do you expect

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. Had he ever been treated so roughly before? "A few times. Mostly by Mafia people"

That’s when things got interesting. Ross dashed after Bachmann, repeatedly asking whether she had ever missed a House vote due to a migraine. She ignored him. Ross pursued her into a parking area behind the stage. Her aides grew alarmed. When Ross made a beeline for the white SUV waiting to carry Bachmann away, two Bachmann men pounced on him, grabbing and pushing him multiple times with what looked to me like unusual force. In fact, I have never seen a reporter treated so roughly at a campaign event, especially not a presidential one. Ross was finally able to break away and lob his question at Bachmann one more time, but she continued to ignore him.

Afterward, I asked Ross — a hard-nosed pro who nevertheless seemed slightly shaken — whether he had ever been treated so roughly. “A few times,” he told me. “Mostly by Mafia people.”

Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2011/07/19/reporter-accosted-after-bachmann-comments-on-migraines/