Obama Park Service Official Taken to the Woodshed At OWS Hearing - OWS - Fox Nation
Politics

January 26, 2012

Obama Park Service Official Taken to the Woodshed At OWS Hearing

Fire it up

561

Share

 

 
National Park director defends Occupy DC campsite at congressional hearing
 
Published January 24, 2012 | FoxNews.com
 
The head of the National Park Service defended his decision to let Occupy protesters camp out in a park in the middle of Washington, D.C., though he said Tuesday the group will be given one last warning before being evicted.
 
NPS Director Jonathan Jarvis testified to the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee on the District of Columbia that protests are a right under the First Amendment, although he acknowledged that some homeless people "have taken advantage of the situation."
 
He added that this is not the first time the Park Service has allowed protesters to remain for weeks at a site. 
 
"Whatever they are protesting is irrelevant to our decisions. Our decisions are based on the totality" of the circumstances, he said. 
 
But Republican lawmakers, who questioned whether Jarvis' decisions were politically motivated, said an exception had been made for a group that for all intents and purposes is camping, not protesting, and contended that the National Park Service was unequally enforcing the law. 
 
"It's not your job to determine which protest group, how to treat protest groups differently. They are breaking the law. Why aren't you enforcing the law?" asked Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill.
 
"Camping is not a First Amendment activity. It is a violation of law. Sleeping (in a national park) is not a First Amendment activity, it is a violation of law," said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Relations Committee.
 
Read more at foxnews.com

What do you think?


Comments

All Opinions Welcome

The Fox Nation is for those opposed to intolerance, excessive government control of our lives, and attempts to monopolize opinion or suppress freedom of thought, expression, and worship. Read more...

We invite all Americans who share these values to join us here at Fox Nation.

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Pic of the Day

‘Kelling’ them Softly

Model Kelly Brook arrives on the red carpet ahead of the screening of the film "Killing Them Softly", in competition at the 65th Cannes Film Festival, May 22, 2012.

More Pics

Quote Patrol

 

Rush Limbaugh

Organic Food and Liberal Ideology

A conservative vegetarian will eat his vegetables and leave you alone. A liberal vegetarian will eat his and then demand that you only eat vegetables, too. And this is one of the big differences between liberals and conservatives across the board

More Quotes

Fox Nation Salutes

Apple CEO Made $387 Million Last Year

 

Apple's Cook Top-Paid US CEO in 2011: ReportApple chief executive Tim Cook topped the list of the best-paid CEOs in the US in 2011 thanks to stock options that put him more than $300 million above...

More Salutes

Twitter Brigade

postpolitics: CBO: Taxmageddon would throw U.S. back into recession http://t.co/c9fUIpjk

memeorandum: Sandoval asks federal court to toss marriage law challenge (Ed Vogel / Las Vegas Review-Journal) http://t.co/7mmBsroO http://t.co/fUNFmTUa

drudge_report: Bars using new app and hidden cameras to scan customers' faces... http://t.co/DNPeeWwN

ppppolls: @wccubbison You weren't kidding about the internet #killingme

trscoop: Maxine Waters plays the race card, smears Tea Party at Sunday church service http://t.co/K8XWikVy

Fox Nation On Fire

Close

Rep. Barney Frank to Marry Longtime Partner