Torrance City Council Debate: No Cameras Allowed! (WAT?!)

I attended the latest Torrance City Council debates at the Toyota Hall in the Torrance Civic Center last night.

I saw some not so leading lights in the audience, including the district's former Assemblyman.

Members of the Torrance City Council not up for reelection were in the audience, too.

I started taking pictures of the six candidates on the stage.

Then a member of the audience approached me.

She told me that I could not take photos are record the Leagues of Women Voters event.

What?

I saw Mayor Pat Furey record part of the Torrance School Board debate at the October First LWV event last year.

What gives?

I also know that there was a camera in the room, too.

I went back outside, and I saw a huge poster on one of the chairs.

I had never noticed a poster like that before at any LWV event.

One member of the group told me that no cameras were allowed because the city is recording the event, and then it falls under copyright.

WAT?!

Uh … the city cable facilities are a public good paid by taxpayer dollars. What gives anyone the idea that I cannot record a public event about our local government, which is taking place on public property?!

What is going on?

A few minutes later, as I was leaving, I asked again why no cameras were allowed.

I got a difference answer the second time.

This is ridiculous. Those six candidates are deliberately placing themselves in the public eye.

What gives anyone the idea that they can be spared recordings from the public?

This is outrageous. If public officials, or candidates for public office, do not want to be photographed or recorded in public events, then they should not run for office.

As for the League of Women Voters, how impartial are they running these events?

For the record, before one of the ladies–a member of the Torrance Planning Commission–approached me about my camera, I noticed that the  mayor's wife had spoken to her briefly.

Then Terry Furey continued to give me dirty looks throughout the debate forum.

What is her problem?

Here is my  video commenting on what happened last night. What is happening to the First Amendment in this town?