US: Felony charges, big fines for reporting within Gulf oil spill zone
Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees – The Spill and Transparency – Aired July 1, 2010
COOPER: We’re talking about the government, a new a rule announced today backed by the force of law and the threat of fines and felony charges, a rule that will prevent reporters and photographers and anyone else from getting anywhere close to booms and oil-soaked wildlife and just about any place we need to be. By now, you’re probably familiar with cleanup crews stiff-arming the media, private security blocking cameras, ordinary workers clamming up, some not even saying who they’re working for because they’re afraid of losing their jobs… Well, the Coast Guard today announced new rules keeping photographers and reporters and anyone else from coming within 65 feet of any response vessel or booms out on the water or on beaches — 65 feet… Violators could face a fine of $40,000 and Class D felony charges.
[Boy, George W. Bush has got to be the most frustrated individual on God’s green Earth! Can you *imagine* the outrage — and protests — if Bush threatened reporters and photographers with felony charges and fines, as Barack Obama is doing in the Gulf of Mexico? It makes my head *spin* to think of how fast the left would be up in arms. But when Obama lays down and dies for his corporaterrorist paymasters day after day and suspends the First Amendment, the so-called ‘left’ remains silent. Oh. Not to mention, his thriving assassination squads, busy little CIA bees hunting down US citizens who allegedly support ‘terrorism.’ — LRP]
Harold
ACGR's "News with Attitude" 
Anderson; Thank God you and your crew are out there doing what others should be doing. Reporting events that concern all of us in N. America. Every night we look forward to hearing and seeing what is happening to all coastal environment and how it is going to impact all of us very soon! My heart cries out for the people and to the other living creatures. I cannot bear to see the suffering that is occurring because of ulterior motives for greed, personal financial gain, mismanagement then to ignore the consequences of their decisions. It is obvious “they” had planned this event months before. I am a descendant from a line of ancestors who loved and cared for this land. We are taught that we are caretakers of this land not owners to do as we please. My family valued their stewardship responsibilities. What we see happening now has been ‘their modus operandi’. They did it to us and left us homeless and abandoned their responsibility to a nation of many nations once residents of this land. We are refugees now and we see the coastal people will be facing the same diaspora we were forced to face. We must remember that we don’t own the land and to let go our share. Those Corporations that profited from this should be forced to pay for the cost of displacement of families to other areas. Their is more than BP involved. The Corporation in DC is responsible too. we the people are the Government. Tell the people that. We have a choice, take it and leave and live . All eyes of America is on the people of the coast. Keep up the reporting Anderson. Challenge the other reporters to take a stand. America and the world is waiting for you and others to report the news. We are watching!