esponse to "No Cameras" at Rep.Guberatorial Forum

From: Nancy Lazaryan <nancylazaryan@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Your email
To: "Carol Rupar" <carol56379@yahoo.com>
Cc: "Ron Baert" <purpleb@copper.net>
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2009, 1:57 PM

Carol, It is not my intent, today or at anytime to "disrupt" any meeting. I was planning on setting up the  camera at the table that I am seated at. I have two questions. I feel the candidates' answers are important for people of the state of Minnesota to know. The members of the public have the right to ask for and to not to be filmed. (And I always ask if a private Citizen will allow me to film him/her.) The candidates do not have this option, as they are seeking public office. I teach constitutional law, and am concerned you are on a fine line of violating the First Amendment. You can watch my Foundations seminar at: www.video.google.com ...in search type in Nancy Lazaryan. Does the party receive ANY monies from the state? or the federal government?  If so, then the People have a First Amendment right (including the Press) to attend and report on any PUBLIC forum called by the Party. It is my understanding the public is invited to this meeting. Please reconsider your restrictions on my video taping at the meeting. Nancy Lazaryan. --- On Thu, 10/29/09, Carol Rupar <carol56379@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Carol Rupar <carol56379@yahoo.com> Subject: Your email To: nancylazaryan@yahoo.com Date: Thursday, October 29, 2009, 1:33 PM Nancy, I am certainly no lawyer nor expert on free speech.  When we were planning this event it was suggested that we say no press no cameras because at too many events we have seen people with an ax to grind taking the opportunity to basically take over the agenda and people become discouraged from attending these events.  It then becomes the agenda of one person rather than about the purpose for  which it was organized. This event was organized with the intent to allow the voters to meet the candidates in an intimate setting and ask questions and also for the candidates to get their message to the voters.  We believe many attending will also be attending the causus and perhaps be a delegate to the convention.  They are still deciding who they should support.  The format we chose is one that we believed will serve that purpose.  We purposely chose not to have a debate.  This also isn't a news conference. I will tell you the same thing I have told any other member of the press.  You are welcome to come and in fact we invite you to come--as a delegate, voter or just curious, you  can take notes and ask tough questions.  We just ask that you not come in with cameras and microphones as the candidates are used to this but the audience we are trying to reach are just the average guys or gals going about their business and are not used to dealing with the press.  We do not want to discourage the average person on the street from attending the next event that we might plan. We are paying to rent this facility and I thought that would give us the right to set the agenda.  As you are in Benton County for just under $150 you could rent this facility for 4 hours and choose the agenda for any event that you wanted.  You could hold your own candidate event, invite the candidates and charge an admittance fee to attend and you could bring the cameras in. We just ask that you respectfully abide by the wishes of the organizers of this particular event. Thank you. Carol Rupar