Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

House members take action against 'campaign trackers'

Details

  • Description

    Illinois Congressman Randall Hultgren explains

  • Duration 5:05
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

America Live

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

New concerns today about the increasingly invasive tactics of campaign trackers.

Those -- people who -- candidates and their families around with cameras.

And then upload the footage to YouTube.

And now dozens of house members are fed up with this practice they -- it borders on stalking.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reportedly stands by this practice saying it hopes the footage will be used in TV ads this fall.

While the National Republican Congressional Committee has banned this activity.

Illinois congressman -- awful thing.

Is one of the lawmakers who signed a bill to stop the trackers so the -- thanks so much for being here.

Is comparing this to stalking overstating the case.

I don't think it is -- and it really we know we're getting into when candidates run.

For office we know we're going to be asked a lot of questions put in difficult situations.

But we didn't expect that our families -- be put this on comfortable spot or our neighbors we put this uncomfortable spot.

There's got to be some level of where candidates can have some privacy in the -- can have some privacy.

And even safety concerns of having people hiding in bushes are hiding out -- streets.

Filming our homes filming that's when -- the stores it just goes too far.

I mean here's what you know just -- play devil's advocate here's what some of the trackers how they justify it basically that they.

Think that they are operating -- sort of citizen journalists where let's say there's a candidate.

On the -- cruise preaching populism but then they catch.

His wife and driving around in Mercedes or of these candidates living in a big mansion -- the public know about that hypocrisy.

Well you know again -- they can ask candidates questions but the problem is they're.

They're threatening or at least appearing to be threatening standing in the street out in front of homes.

Again hiding in bushes.

Watching people as -- go to the store this is just again it's.

It's invasive.

If not it does not address the issues that they have an issue -- -- -- -- debate at Ascot.

When they're in a news interview something like that I think that's appropriately candidates expect.

Being asked those questions to make sure that what we're saying is actually what we're doing that we are being accountable that way but I think it goes.

Much too far with what the trackers have been doing.

We -- her own race a couple of years ago not to the extent even now that we're seeing so it's getting worse and now is the time.

For both parties to step up what I -- a letter.

There was authored by good friend -- -- -- from -- from Green Bay, Wisconsin area.

And also Dennis Kucinich so -- a bipartisan letter saying we need to stop this we need Republican Party and the Democratic Party to come together and say this is too much.

We can ask questions of each other when we've got those questions.

But let's make sure that we protect our families protect some level of privacy and not have this intrusive nature.

Where the campaign completely takes over -- our lives but also our family lives as well.

You sent this letter and I -- -- a bipartisan two DD triple C chair Steve Israel what do you want them to do to get people to stop at how can you said ever nowadays everybody has an iPhone.

How -- you get people to stop doing yes.

All they can do it you know someone's paying these people to do this so you pretty much say if you're doing this -- -- and pay you.

So trackers are being paid right now by the RNC has paid that trackers in the past.

The RNC has taken a real stuff I think in the right direction of saying we will not do this.

And making sure that any tracker that is accountable to them will not do it I -- just calling on both parties to do the exact same thing.

And I really do believe people listen if -- -- paid at this information isn't it being used if it's not being put out on the Internet then.

It would stop you know stunned to hear some of the tactics and -- here with some of them are doing following.

Candidates family members of the grocery store taking video of them following them home showing their addresses their home -- is and in particularly.

In this the post Gabby Giffords tragedy.

You know we know that deranged people do like to know where politicians are at all times and do sometimes you show up there I mean.

-- -- people had don't people have some sort of responsibility.

To protect the safety of others.

Well I think they do and we certainly know.

When we get involved in politics like this that we ourselves are going to be.

Someone in the public -- but we our families didn't necessarily sign up for that certainly -- neighbors didn't sign up for that so this is important and I was.

One of the new freshman members of congress along with three -- who was actually the the one who started this letter.

But many freshmen have signed on along with those who've been there for many years of just seeing how this is gone too far.

But if I got to meet Gabby Gifford.

What right after we've gotten sworn in and there was this couple days later the horrible tragedy -- -- -- of the shooting there so it is a new level of responsibility that we have of making good choices saying you know what we can go too far and we've got to make sure that stops however we can do it.

What's police ourselves and make sure that this doesn't happen very you know congressman Adam hall and thanks so much for coming in excellent thanks Alison good to be with you -- new details today in the disturbing.

Load More