VA Regrets Seizing Reporter's Recording

(AP)  Amid protest from a reporters group, the Veterans Affairs Department agreed late Friday to return a radio journalist's recording equipment that it had seized four days earlier as he attempted to interview an injured veteran about VA health care.

In a written statement to The Associated Press, VA spokeswoman Katie Roberts said the department "regrets this incident occurred" and as a result would hand back the flash drive that it took from WAMU reporter David Schultz at the VA Medical Center in Washington. WAMU is a National Public Radio affiliate in the capital.

"After reviewing all the facts surrounding the incident of April 7th and actions since, VA has arranged the return of the flash drive to WAMU," Roberts said. "We make every effort to protect the privacy of our patients and to ensure that they are able to make informed decisions about what information they release or discuss with the public while in a VA facility."

"The Department of Veterans Affairs regrets this incident occurred as we appreciate the interest of the press in covering veterans' issues," she added.

Schultz attended the public forum on Tuesday night that was held at the VA medical center's auditorium to allow veterans to express concerns about the quality of their care. After one veteran spoke, Schultz invited him into the hallway for a recorded interview.

They were then interrupted by Gloria Hairston, a hospital public affairs officer, who said Schultz could not do the interview. Hairston demanded that Schultz hand over his recording equipment unless both he and the veteran signed consent forms allowing reporters to conduct interviews on VA property.

When Schultz refused to comply, Hairston had security officers bar him from leaving. Fearing arrest, the radio journalist handed over the memory card from his recording device, which contained hours of other interviews he had collected that were unrelated to the VA story.

Throughout the day Friday, the VA insisted that release forms must be signed as lawyers for WAMU as well as the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press called on the VA to immediately return the reporter's equipment as well as issue an apology for the incident.

In a letter to the VA on Friday, Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee, called the VA's actions clearly illegal. She noted that Tuesday's episode was similar to a 2004 incident involving Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in which federal marshals in Mississippi seized the digital recorders from reporters for The Associated Press and the Hattiesburg American.

After the AP sued, the government conceded that the Marshals Service had violated federal law when it ordered the reporters to erase their recordings of Scalia's speech at a Hattiesburg high school. Scalia also apologized, calling the incident a misunderstanding.

"The law requires the VA to immediately return Mr. Schultz's sound card," Dalglish said.

[bobnjersey]

[You had better wake up and smell the coffee, as of Jan. 20, 2009 your new messiah and his administration has been in charge. This is just the start of the new world order he speaks of. ]
[Posted by thgdriver at 7:54 AM : Apr 11, 2009 ]

yes ... there's new boogey man in town ... a new enemy to rail against.

you guys must be feeling good right now ... you have an enemy to focus your 'enemy complex' on now.

you're sick ... get some help

[bobnjersey]

[Um, did everyone miss where the rules at the VA for press is that a release needs to be signed and the reporter refused to do so? I'm sure reporters going to the White House need to sign ALL kinds of paperwork and don't mind doing it. A VA hospital is federal property and the rules need to be followed. Being a reporter doesn't remove the need to obey laws and rules at all. However, now that we have a President who proves, daily, that the rules don't apply as he has appointed numerous people to his cabinet that don't follow the rules of, oh, let's see, the IRS and other government offices, I guess that's all out the window now. It would seem life is going to be one big party at the White House now that rules no longer apply. ]
[Posted by NancyLou9 at 8:08 AM : Apr 11, 2009 ]

yes nancy ... the rules ... it's all about the rules. don't break the rules ... be sure to understand the rules ... respect the rules ... bow to the rules.

god forbid you question the rules ... the rules were made by the rulers ... our rulers ... and who are we to challenge the rules.

just follow the rules ... and the rulers ... and everything will be ok ... as one who will be ruled by rules.

[Oh, and when are BO's daughters going to get the puppy they were promised months ago? Yet another broken promise?]

puppies are against the rules nancy. there are rules about hair ... and rules about noise ... and rules stating you must make clean what the dogs have made dirty .. which is against the rules. how could they really have a puppy ... and at the same time make sure they were completely compliant with all the rules.

you're a classic authoritarian follower ... it distorts your world view ... and it's not everyone else that is the problem ... it's you.

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

PS. they have the puppy ... a gift from sen ted kennedy ... another big rule breaker ... and the story is from a paper that breaks the rules regularly

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-obama-dog12-2009apr12,0,4631254.story

[bobnjersey]

[Obambi is at it again. Guess everyone will blame Bush for this one also. When will it stop. For G*D's sake, let the truth be heard, problem is the MSM are afraid to do a real story on Obambi and his merry men of socialists and so we will have more and more of this. Look at Queen Pelosi and her travel, now the govt is charging unreasonable amounts in retalitation to the story about her travel on US govt planes. What a joke. Oh well most of you voted for this left wing liberal nut job, so while he is your president, He is not mine. I want a real man, not a half black, half white man. Everyone forgets his father left him. Great role model. ]
[Posted by platteman at 9:38 AM : Apr 11, 2009 ]

is this your daily obama rant ... or do you actually have a real point to make about either veteran care or civil liberties and freedom of speech?

i heard obama was behind the curtain when all this occured ... he personally told them to take the recorder ... and it was gwb that called later and said they should give it back. pelosi got upset when this happened and when stomping out of the room like a whining bug eyed sixth grader.

i've also heard that it's the bottom half of him that's actually white ... and it's only the top half that's black. that picture of few months ago with his shirt off was not a chance paparazi photo ... but a setup photo op to reinforce his 'blackness'. this is why you've never seen him in shorts.

he's got a master plan ... and it's based on karl marx's plan ... which was based on the teachings of christ ... but this time around it only include whole blacks ... and other half blacks like himself.

[gss99]

People, you are being tested, whether you realize it or not. You are being tested on a monthly or yearly basis. What you think is real, is sometimes not real at all. Remember the incident in Florida where this college kid starts going off at John Kerry, that was a test. It was a completely put-on by the US Govt to gauge public reaction. You perceived it as real. Many people were fooled but it was a psy-op. They were gauging your level of concern for your fellow citizen and everyone failed miserably but for the Govt, it was a complete success because no one came to that kid's aide.

[gss99]

I signed up just to thank lastdance143 for coming forward with the truth. I knew that things were corrupt but until now I didn't know why there were so many suicides.
And to those who think it's about republican or democrat, please open your eyes. Did Obama reverse everything that Bush did? No. Did bush reverse everything Bill clinton did? No. So if these presidents aren't reversing everything then obviously they are on the same team.

[Kenatius]

I am a disabled veteran and, even though I have good insurance through my employer, I use the VA for all my health care. I have been to private health facilities and have received horrible care. Sometimes we expect more from government agencies than we do from private enterprise just because they are the government. The government is certainly more transparent than your HMO. If you really believe the VA is inferior to an HMO you have never had to put up with mindless bureaucrats who ration health care in the private insurance\hospital system. If this reporter had been in the same situation in a private hospital - oh wait! a private hospital would NEVER HAVE A PUBLIC FORUM FOR PATIENTS TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS ! Once I see private hospitals start to do that - I may actually go to a private hospital.

[barbaram99]

I went to the VA hospital with my friend and took my notebook with me to do my whatever as I waited for him. No problem I sat in the waiting area for him. No one bothered me. Iam not a Vet.
the reporter has every right to do his/her job and if the hospital had a problem with yhat then some thing is amiss as we have a right to know as Americans.

[carolhill814]

What is the matter they don't want the truth out there?

What is really going on with our VETS? What are they afraid of?

[mtrcyclebob]

I'm "100% Total-Permanent Disabled Veteran P.T.S.D." I never served 1125 Spec. Ops. combat days 1965-1968 to be a Disabled Veteran, BUT I AM! My Credit Rating is "ZILCH! 0!" Because the V.A. claims to paid my due care at "Home Health Care" Rates, and the "PRIVATE HOSPITALS" Do not have any "COMMUNICATIONS" with each other as so all Doctors are compensated their payments. So with NO! "RESPECT, CONCERN, COMMUNICATIONS, ASSISTANCE, PUTTING OF THEIR WORK TO A "MENTAL P.T.S.D. PATIENT" TO FETCH BILLS, ALL KINDS OF BUL**** AND LEAVING, DUMPING US TO COLLECTION AGENCY'S THAT CALL DON"T TALK, AND ARE GIVING UNNECESSARY STRESS -STRESS-STRESS TO WE HONORABLE DISABLED VETERANS TREATED LIKE "RAT S***!" AND STILL BEING DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND, I FEEL DISRESPECTED, DISGRACED, HUMILIATED, SCUM! But thats a small price to pay for FREEDOM! I love LIFE!, I Love America! I Love AMERICANS!, as far as our "CORRUPT POLITICIAN'S" from all Political Venues, Private, Local, State, Federal, Universal!, should be isolated on a small developing Volcanic island together for ruining so many "LIVES!" When are "Citizens" going to put a stop to this nobody likes?

[platteman]

Obambi is at it again. Guess everyone will blame Bush for this one also. When will it stop.
For G*D's sake, let the truth be heard, problem is the MSM are afraid to do a real story on Obambi and his merry men of socialists and so we will have more and more of this. Look at Queen Pelosi and her travel, now the govt is charging unreasonable amounts in retalitation to the story about her travel on US govt planes. What a joke. Oh well most of you voted for this left wing liberal nut job, so while he is your president, He is not mine. I want a real man, not a half black, half white man. Everyone forgets his father left him. Great role model.