A West Virginia reporter was arrested at the state Capitol Tuesday before a meeting held by U.S. Health and Human Services Sec. Tom Price.
Dan Heyman of the Public News Service was charged with a misdemeanor offense of willfully disrupting a governmental process.
According to a complaint filed in Kanawha County magistrate court, police say Heyman approached Price and Counsel to the President Kellyanne Conway as they entered the Capitol Tuesday afternoon, asking them questions. The complaint accuses Heyman of “aggressively breaching” the secret service escorting the two when he was detained by Capitol police.
The West Virginia ACLU held a press conference defending the reporter Tuesday night, saying the arrest sets a dangerous precedent and violates the first amendment of the Constitution.
Heyman could face a fine of up to $100 and 6 months in jail.
Heyman is a former employee of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Copyright 2017 West Virginia Public Broadcasting
