VA Authorities Confiscate Tape of Journalist Reporting on Bad Treatment of Veterans

Now this is just not right, the VA does not have the right to STOMP on the RIGHTS of these individuals?

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/04/va-authorities.html
VA Authorities Confiscate Tape of Journalist Reporting on Bad Treatment of Veterans

April 10, 2009 11:57 AM

A stunning story about 26-year-old reporter David Schultz of local NPR station WAMU-FM and a graduate of the University of Arizona.

Schultz was working on a story about a veteran alleging bad treatment at the hands of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Tommie Canady, a 56-year-old veteran with a terminal pancreatic disease, says he gets horrible care.

Gloria Hairston, a VA communications specialist, along with two other employees and four armed security guards, stopped Schultz and wouldn’t let him leave until he handed over his equipment. After a confrontation, when Hairston warned Schultz it would get "ugly," he says, the young reporter gave her the memory card from his tape recorder.

"What I mostly feel bad about is Mr. Canady," Schultz told WTOP-AM radio here in DC. "He was trying to tell his story, he has an amazing story and he was denied a chance to tell his story to the media because of these tactics."

He added that "the story is not about me versus the hospital. It's about why is the hospital taking these measures to prevent Mr. Canady from speaking. What are they trying to hide?"

-- jpt

April 10, 2009