Etheridge caught in on-camera confrontation Updated at 11:46 AM today (YouTube)
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- North Carolina Congressman Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) is taking heat after a conservative blogger posted video on YouTube showing him in a confrontation with men carrying cameras on a Washington street.
The story by Breitbart.com contributor Mike Flynn says the men were students. In the video, they ask the congressman if he supports the Obama agenda.
Read the blog and see the video
Etheridge's reaction is to demand to know who the photographers are. He then gets physical. He grabs the camera from one man and then takes him by the wrist. In the video, the photographer's faces are blurred and their identities aren't given. They never identify themselves to the congressman other than to say they're students working on a project.
When they continue to refuse to identify themselves, Etheridge grabs one around the neck and then the shoulders refusing to let him go. The man eventually slips Etheridge's grasp and the video ends.
The video is titled with the headline "Congressman Goes Beserk" and it was picked up by the Drudge Report website with the title: "SHOCK VIDEO: Congressman Assaults Student on Washington Sidewalk..."
ABC11 has left messages with Etheridge's office to get his side of the story about what happened. We're waiting to hear back.
Meanwhile, Republicans are weighing in. National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Jon Thompson e-mailed a comment to ABC11:
“Bob Etheridge has lost it. His conduct is unbecoming of a member of Congress. It's bad enough that he's joined Obama's assault on North Carolina jobs, but his physical assault on a college student goes beyond the pale.”
ABC11 viewers are also sending us opinions.
"We can't have our ELECTED congressmen smack and stranglehold citizens of our country just for asking a question," ABC11 viewer Anthony Davar wrote on our Facebook page.
"Provoked or not, any response would have been better than this one," wrote ABC11 viewer Michelle at ABC11.com.
Others defended the congressman.
"…we all lose our cool and I think in similar situations we wouldn't fare much better. I'm glad I am not followed by camera crews when my temper is tested," wrote Kyla Marks on Facebook.
