Joe Biden Locks Florida Journalist in Closet

By Kyle Munzenrieder Mon., Mar. 28 2011 at 10:51 AM

The closet Powers was locked in.

Governor Rick Scott has had his well-known tiffs with the Florida press pool, but at least he's not locking them in closets. Vice President Joe Biden was in the Orlando area last week headlining a private fundraiser for Democratic Senator Bill Nelson. Journalist Scott Powers of The Orlando Sentinel was selected as the pool reporter, but to prevent him from mingling with guests before the Veep arrived, Biden's team decided to pretty much lock the journalist in a closet.

"Turns out the veep hadn't arrived, but about 150 guests (minimum donation $500) were already in the house," reads the Sentinel's recount. "So to prevent Scott from mingling with the crowd, a member of Biden's advance team consigned him to a storage closet -- and then stood outside the door to make sure he didn't walk out without permission."

Powers was locked in the closet for about 90 minutes, and only allowed out to hear Nelson and Biden deliver their remarks. He was then locked back in the closet in the private home of developer Alan Ginsburg.

Biden's team has since apologized for the slip-up, but apparently the treatment isn't all that uncommon at these types of events. Plus, given journalist's salaries, being confined to living in small, closet-like spaces is also not quite uncommon.

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Tags:

Joe Biden, Orlando Sentinel, Scott Powers

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KGEsper

Where is this mans outrage? What happened to freedom of the press? He obviously had the proper credentials or he would have been asked to leave. Instead he allowed himself to be muzzled and captured like an animal until the V.P. was done delivering his remarks? This is absurd! Not only should Biden be ashamed, this man should get the spineless, jellyfish reporter award for 2011. I am willing to bet his story will largely be based upon whatever press kit they thrust upon him.

Keven Esper Nappanee, IN

Tim-Prov

Please get your facts straight. The reporter was a pool reporter and this was a private fundraising event at a private residence. The situation is typical, but the storage area was not - it was the mistake of one of the VP's staffers and both the owner of the residence as well as the VP have personally called the reporter to apologize for the ordeal.

Secondly, the reporter was never "locked" in the room - he was free to leave at any time, albeit he would not be able to meet or interview the VP. Please do your research prior to posting incendiary articles such as this. The reporter himself has posted a lengthy discussion on his publication's website that plainly explains the entire event - most of the details vary wildy from your concocted "kidnapping" story you seem to have skimmed while browsing Drudge or some other equally reactionary news source.