Maryland top cap cop apologizes to man who wasn't threatening group claiming to be threatened

While The DC cheerleads National Organization for Marriage's sparsely attended road show as being hectored by big, threatening gay people, the head of the Maryland Capitol Police apologizes- to a pro-marriage equality videographer threatened with arrest for filming a NOM gathering:

Maryland Capitol Police Chief apologizes to NOM Tour Tracker after videographer expelled from public rally

NOM Tour Tracker chronicles poor attendance and extremist rhetoric on secretive, anti-gay group’s summer bus tour

LOS ANGELES — The recent expulsion and threatened arrest of a videographer covering the National Organization of Marriage’s July 21st Rally in Annapolis, Maryland, prompted the Chief of the Maryland Capitol Police to issue a formal apology on Friday, and a promise to institute “corrective training measures.”

“I have thoroughly investigated this incident and have concluded that the situation should have been handled differently,” said Maryland Capital Police Chief Phil Palmere. “I regret the way this was conducted and take full responsibility for any inconvenience or embarrassment this may have caused.”

The apology came in response to video of the incident in which a Maryland Capitol Police Officer threatened to “lock up” Tour Tracker videographer Jethro Rothe-Kushel after NOM President Brian Brown asked the officer to remove Kushel from their sparsely attended public rally in Annapolis.  Kushel had videotaped NOM’s three prior rallies, and even interviewed Brown, without incident.

The Annapolis event took place on the “Lawyer’s Mall,” a courtyard featuring a statue of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall beneath the phrase “Equal Justice Under Law.” Click here to view the video of the incident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe9QNdcRplw

“I have spoken with Chief Palmere, accepted his apology, and conveyed our deepest appreciation to the dedicated professionals who protect our communities and our basic freedoms.” said Courage Campaign founder Rick Jacobs. “Sadly, NOM’s tour to promote discrimination in America has also sought to repress the speech and assembly rights of those trying to cover the tour.”

The Courage Campaign Institute launched the “NOM Tour Tracker” — on July 14th as a chronicle of first hand accounts, photos, interviews and video of the rallies and counter-rallies on each stop of the National Organization of Marriage’s “Summer for Marriage” bus tour of 23 Eastern and Midwestern cities.  While refusing to disclose its funding sources, NOM has been a leading sponsor of initiatives to restrict the rights of LGBT families –from California to Maine.

Among other things, the NOM Tour Tracker has shown that NOM’s pro-discrimination rallies have been dwarfed in size by pro-LGBT equality counter-rallies at each stop to date.  It has also revealed bizarre behavior and extreme rhetoric by many of NOM’s supporters.

The Courage Campaign has invited NOM to submit posts for its Tour Tracker, and respond to questions from the thousands of people who actively comment on the site.  Thus far, NOM has not responded, and has instead stepped up security at its most recent rallies and instructed its supporters not to be interviewed on camera.

Since the Annapolis incident, NOM President Brian Brown has also left the “Summer for Marriage” Bus Tour, and been replaced by NOM Founder Maggie Gallagher.

“We launched the NOM Tour Tracker to give both sides of the marriage equality debate an opportunity to be heard,” said Courage Campaign Institute founder Rick Jacobs.  “While we seek a constructive debate steeped in transparency and truth, NOM is showing itself to be a highly secretive fringe group with very little public support and contempt for the U.S. Constitution.”