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WASHINGTON — Filmmaker and Wayne County resident Josh Fox was arrested in the U.S. Capitol building Wednesday, apparently for trying to film a Congressional hearing.
Fox, who resides in this county but travels the country and is filming another movie about fracking for natural gas, was attending a meeting of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
The Wayne Independent attempted to contact Fox on Thursday but he did not return the call.
According to media reports, Capitol Police said Fox was charged with unlawful entry. He was released that same afternoon and told The New York Times he was charged for “practicing journalism.”
Since his arrest, Fox has made appearances on many national television and radio shows. During an appearance Wednesday night on The Ed Show on MSNBC, Fox pointed the finger at House Republicans who he said have changed a long-standing policy of allowing filming during these hearings.
Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, said during the meeting he objected to Fox and another film crew being in the meeting. A committee chairman does have the discretion to bar cameras from hearings. Ironically, the hearing was being broadcast on the committee’s website.
Fox said he filmed many hearings prior to Republicans taking control of the House during the last election.
A camera did film Fox’s arrest, during which he shouted, “This is a public hearing! I am being denied my First Amendment rights.”
Fox told The New York Times the hearing was scheduled on short notice and he tried to contact committee staff to get clearance to videotape the proceedings.
Fox, who produced the HBO documentary “Gasland” and is in the process of filming “Gasland II,” told MSNBC host Ed Schultz the second movie is nearly done and he wanted to film that hearing as part of the movie.
The hearing on Wednesday was focused on a case in Pavillion, Wyo., where the Environmental Protection Administration recently released an preliminary study which said fracking might have caused contamination of water.
Pro-fracking groups have shunned the study, first citing it as preliminary and saying people are putting the cart before the horse.
Fox said on The Ed Show he felt the Republican-led subcommittee was launching an assault on the EPA and he wanted to be at the hearing.
As he told The New York Times, “No one on the Hill is exempt from the constitution. Period.”
Fox has been a divisive character in Wayne County with all of the controversy surrounding proposed fracking in the county. Many area residents shun Fox, saying he is nothing more than a publicity hound seeking his fame and fortune.
The Wayne Independent will continue to follow this story and will have a follow-up after conducting an interview with Fox.
WASHINGTON — Filmmaker and Wayne County resident Josh Fox was arrested in the U.S. Capitol building Wednesday, apparently for trying to film a Congressional hearing.
Fox, who resides in this county but travels the country and is filming another movie about fracking for natural gas, was attending a meeting of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
The Wayne Independent attempted to contact Fox on Thursday but he did not return the call.
According to media reports, Capitol Police said Fox was charged with unlawful entry. He was released that same afternoon and told The New York Times he was charged for “practicing journalism.”
Since his arrest, Fox has made appearances on many national television and radio shows. During an appearance Wednesday night on The Ed Show on MSNBC, Fox pointed the finger at House Republicans who he said have changed a long-standing policy of allowing filming during these hearings.
Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, said during the meeting he objected to Fox and another film crew being in the meeting. A committee chairman does have the discretion to bar cameras from hearings. Ironically, the hearing was being broadcast on the committee’s website.
Fox said he filmed many hearings prior to Republicans taking control of the House during the last election.
A camera did film Fox’s arrest, during which he shouted, “This is a public hearing! I am being denied my First Amendment rights.”
Fox told The New York Times the hearing was scheduled on short notice and he tried to contact committee staff to get clearance to videotape the proceedings.
Fox, who produced the HBO documentary “Gasland” and is in the process of filming “Gasland II,” told MSNBC host Ed Schultz the second movie is nearly done and he wanted to film that hearing as part of the movie.
The hearing on Wednesday was focused on a case in Pavillion, Wyo., where the Environmental Protection Administration recently released an preliminary study which said fracking might have caused contamination of water.
Pro-fracking groups have shunned the study, first citing it as preliminary and saying people are putting the cart before the horse.
Fox said on The Ed Show he felt the Republican-led subcommittee was launching an assault on the EPA and he wanted to be at the hearing.
As he told The New York Times, “No one on the Hill is exempt from the constitution. Period.”
Fox has been a divisive character in Wayne County with all of the controversy surrounding proposed fracking in the county. Many area residents shun Fox, saying he is nothing more than a publicity hound seeking his fame and fortune.
The Wayne Independent will continue to follow this story and will have a follow-up after conducting an interview with Fox.
