A Democratic lawmaker snapped at a journalist for exercising a constitutional right, taking his photo in public, calling the photographer an "a**hole" near the Capitol.
Georgia Rep. David Scott was being pushed by an aide in a wheelchair when a photographer for Politico began taking photos of the lawmaker.
Dem Rep. David Scott, who was being pushed in a wheelchair by a staffer outside the Capitol after votes, reamed out a photographer for taking the congressman’s picture.
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) December 18, 2024
I saw and heard Scott yell: “Who gave you the right to take my picture, asshole?”
The representative became angry with him, saying, "Who gave you the right to take my picture, a**hole?" according to a journalist for Punchbowl News.
The right to take photos in public spaces is protected for everyone, including journalists, under the First Amendment.
The photographer was later asked by the staffer who had been helping Scott to "not come and take a picture of us as we're trying to get into the Capitol," as reported by Politico. The staffer reportedly continued to push back on the photographer's defense, who said that they were not in the way of Scott or the aide.
The photo, taken by POLITICO’s Francis Chung. https://t.co/Wy3RjItrAd pic.twitter.com/xTzt0f8sdc
— bryan metzger (@metzgov) December 19, 2024
"I'm going to ask you very nicely to not do that. We will be reaching out to your editor, whoever it is we have to reach out to," the staffer said, as reported by Politico.
The photo shared showed Scott in mid-sentence as the hand of the staffer reaches out, appearing to try to prevent photographers from capturing photos.
The Democratic representative's office declined to comment on the exchange to the outlet.
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