A Preview Of McConnell’s “Kapitolpolizeitruppe”

South Carolinians got a sneak peek at what Senate President Glenn McConnell’s Kapitolpolizeitruppe (a.k.a. Capitol Police Force) might look like earlier this week – and it ain’t a pretty picture.

At least it’s not a pretty picture if you value your right to free speech and free expression – and if you don’t want those rights subjected to the whim of the notoriously mercurial, thin-skinned, vindictive hotheads who currently comprise the S.C. General Assembly.

Already, Sen. McConnell has set a dangerous precedent for how his Kapitolpolizeitruppe might abuse its authority.

McConnell, you’ll recall, came up with the ridiculous idea that lawmakers should have their own police force after Gov. Mark Sanford refused to waste any more money on extra State House security that the complex doesn’t need (and taxpayers can’t afford).

Well, two weeks ago, a creatively-attired African-American (this guy) began protesting McConnell on the grounds of the State House.

Apparently, this gentlemen also brought his act into the State House – where he was promptly kicked out after McConnell drew law enforcement’s attention to this statute of S.C. law:

SECTION 10-11-330. Unauthorized entry into capitol building; disorderly conduct, obstructing passage, demonstrating, and the like.
It shall be unlawful for any person or group of persons willfully and knowingly: (a) to enter or to remain within the capitol building unless such person is authorized by law or by rules of the House or Senate or of the State Budget and Control Board when such entry is done for the purpose of uttering loud, threatening and abusive language or to engage in any disorderly or disruptive conduct with the intent to impede, disrupt or disturb the orderly conduct of any session of the legislature or the orderly conduct within the building or of any hearing before or any deliberation of any committee or subcommittee of the legislature; (b) to obstruct or to impede passage within the capitol grounds or building; (c) to engage in any act of physical violence upon the capitol grounds or within the capitol building; or (d) to parade, demonstrate or picket within the capitol building.

Funny … that last provision sure seems to encompass any sort of “demonstration” that takes place inside the State House (including Gov. Mark Sanford’s famous charts and graphs).

And what constitutes picketing?

Is it wearing a sticker? Holding a sign? What about handing out “support the arts” paraphernalia?

And when it comes to “impeding passage,” doesn’t that statute encompass the disgustingly-prostrate rows of judicial candidates, lobbyists and other glad-handers that line the State House entrance ways looking to guffaw with their favorite lawmaker?

Try running that gauntlet and see how your “passage” went.

Anyway, what happened here has nothing to do with statutes – McConnell had this guy thrown out because he was carrying a sign that McConnell didn’t like.

An unfortunate byproduct of this unfortuante precedent? Longtime anti-abortion activist Steve Lefemine has been told now that he, too, is prohibited from bringing his signs into the State House.

Say what you want about Lefemine – or McConnell’s protester – but the fact remains in a free country they should be permitted to voice (or appropriately display) their beliefs in the lobbies of public buildings.

Obviously, there are limits to free speech, but in the case of these two individuals they were simply carrying signs – signs that in no way, shape or form impeded or endangered anyone.

Letting a lawmaker toss them arbitrarily for that is unacceptable.

Giving that lawmaker his own police force to control?

That’s downright insane.

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