Joe Schoffstall, a reporter for the Media Research Center, was rebuffed by Attorney General Eric Holder’s security detail yesterday after Holder met with the Justice Department lawyers in charge of enforcing federal election laws.



“Mr. Attorney General, do you think is appropriate to be taking pictures with DOJ lawyers who will be enforcing election laws during President Obama’s reelection?” Schoffstall can be heard asking on video. “Do you think that is appropriate, Mr. Holder?”



The attorney general doesn’t acknowledge the reporter’s questions, but almost immediately after, a man identified by MRC-TV as part of Eric Holder’s security team approaches (it should be noted that his jacket says “police”).



“Hey sir, they gonna be nice to you, I’m not,” he says, purposefully approaching Schoffstall.



The unnamed security officer continues walking, inevitably pushing the reporter back with each step, saying: “The man is ushering you on to a different direction, and that’s what I’m going to make sure you do, alright? Do we understand each other?”



After Schoffstall stops backing up, having protested several times that he’s on public property, the guard says just inches from the reporter’s face: “It’s not a public sidewalk now, now [you're] standing on federal government property.”



“You’re pushing me back onto federal government property,” Schoffstall responds with irritation. “This is a public sidewalk, I can ask him a question.”




More important, they note, is that Attorney General Eric Holder has a history of displaying bias above the law– whether it’s Fast and Furious, or failing to prosecute the New Black Panthers for voter fraud.



Though it’s unclear what Holder said during the meeting, reports indicate that he took photos with the lawyers who will help monitor the upcoming election, and is expected to sign them personally. Is that appropriate to do immediately before an election where Holder’s job is at stake?



Interesting, moreover, that Holder’s biggest stated concern for the upcoming election is voter intimidation– a worry so great that even asking for a photo ID from voters is deemed unacceptable.



He has not released a statement on whether backing a reporter standing on public property into a corner is also considered “intimidation.”