Blockers. The Allen campaign did the same thing to videographers at his public events. Staffers, and volunteers would position themselves between the camera and the candidate. They would ignore your request to move, follow you if you moved, and block you again.

Posted by Bubby on 22 January 2007 @ 3pm

It’s one thing in a campaign — those have become a part of the rules of engagement. But at the General Assembly? I wonder what, specifically, Jeff Frederick is trying to hide from his constituents.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 22 January 2007 @ 4pm

If this really is a case of intentional camera-blocking, as it appears to be, I reckon Delegate Frederick is looking for trouble. It’s not too difficult for these sorts of actions to escalate into pushing, shoving and physical altercations that may not have been intended.

It’s bush league stuff. If Delegate Frederick can’t stand the heat, he should get out of the kitchen.

Posted by Harry Landers on 22 January 2007 @ 4pm

Someone needs to remove that smirk from Del. Frederick’s face. This is exactly what I had hoped for when I heard about the taping program.

Posted by Mark Brooks on 22 January 2007 @ 4pm

If Delegate Frederick is using state employees, paid General Assembly staffers, to block public access to committee meetings, I have a very big problem with this.

Surely Delegate Frederick can find a better use for our tax dollars than blocking public accesss to the general Assembly.

Posted by J.C. Wilmore on 22 January 2007 @ 4pm

So…We have another Delegate who believes our government should operate “behind closed doors.” Wonder if he’ll use that as his campaign slogan when he’s up for re-election?

buzz…buzz….

Posted by mosquito on 22 January 2007 @ 5pm

If Virginians see how the people’s business actually gets attended to by the Republican majority in the General Assembly, do you think it will turn out any better for them than it did for the Republicans in the 109th United States Congress?

Frederick is 1)cynical, 2)afraid, 3)overconfident, 4)clueless (or any combination of)…not qualities I look for in a Delegate.

Posted by Bubby on 22 January 2007 @ 6pm

He gets his paycheck from public money and he plays silly games when he’s supposed to be working?!? Juvenile doesn’t even begin to describe the Delegate’s actions in this video.

Posted by grs on 22 January 2007 @ 8pm

Mosquito… you’re onto something. Every opponent of any Delegate who opposes measures to open up committee meetings should hammer on that fact during their campaigns. Either these delegates have something to hide, or there’s no reason to be hiding. Which is it?

These tactics are controversial enough on the campaign trail. Delegate Frederick needs to be reminded that committee meetings are not campaign events.

Posted by Dan Kachur on 22 January 2007 @ 11pm

Having followed the Virginia blogosphere for a few years now, I see open government as really the ONLY issue on which people across the spectrum seem to reach a consensus. Del. Frederick and others should take note.

Posted by Dan Kachur on 22 January 2007 @ 11pm

Great video! Man, that guy looks and acts like a complete weasel. I hope this resurfaces during his reelection campaign this year. You think Stark could be talked into following him around and confronting him on it?

Posted by jon on 23 January 2007 @ 5am

Oh, the power of YouTube! I love the fact that Frederick assumed that subtlety and furtive gestures would go unnoticed by the video camera.

Posted by Janis Jaquith on 23 January 2007 @ 8am

Please…Frederick hiding his record…aren’t votes recorded in Committee? I believe yes. Subcommittee, no, but full committtee, yes. Looks like he is having some fun with the camera, not “hiding” something. Anyone can see that.

Posted by Nan on 23 January 2007 @ 12pm

Looks like he is having some fun with the camera, not “hiding” something.

There’s simply no room for disagreement here, Nan. Del. Frederick dispatched multiple people to block a video camera from videotaping him. He is, under any definition of the word, hiding.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 23 January 2007 @ 12pm

I hate to point a completely odd point, but the producers of this video should be careful using the music they’ve used. I’m pretty sure that music is not in the public domain, and that Henry Mancini’s estate is still collecting royalties.

Posted by Sean Tubbs on 23 January 2007 @ 6pm

He’s a jerk, but I think it’s a stretch to say he was hiding anything. To me it’s clear he’s having fun tweaking the opposition…just as they’re having fun tweaking him. I think the video is great, and gets its message across, but let’s not make a mountain out of a molehill.

Those who want to latch on to this as smoking gun evidence of “hiding” or trying to sneak something by the voters (the room is filled with the opposition, for goodness sake!) need try not to be wound so tightly, so to speak.

Posted by Pete Stark on 24 January 2007 @ 7pm

Oh, I don’t think anybody’s claiming that he was caught trying to sneak something by voters in the moments that the camera was covered, or even that it was his intention. That’d just be silly. But Frederick has shown a pattern, in his voting and his behavior, of trying very, very hard to prevent citizens from knowing what he’s up to on the taxpayers’ dime. Whether through legislation or physically blocking a camera legally recording him at work, he’s obviously hiding something.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 24 January 2007 @ 8pm