Photographer punched and arrested at Florida poll

If you’re going to report on elections in Florida, take bail money and riot gear. The Palm Beach Post reports James S. Henry, an investigative journalist as well as a Harvard-educated lawyer and economist, was tackled, punched and arrested by Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy Al Cinque for photographing voters on a public sidewalk from a public sidewalk.

The Palm Beach Post reports,

"A sheriff's spokesman and a county attorney later said the deputy was enforcing a newly enacted rule from Elections Supervisor Theresa LePore prohibiting reporters from interviewing or photographing voters lined up outside the polls."

Apparently LePore, who invented the scrutinized butterfly ballot of 2000, is above the whole pesky Constitution thingy. Interestingly enough, she recently lost her re-election bid to keep her job. Although already defeated, she’s still "in charge" until Jan. 3, 2005. I can smell the lawsuits.

Enough for now,