Stephani Scruggs, Contributor, The American Dossier
Pennsylvania State Representative Brian Sims made a complete and utter fool of himself by live-streaming his harassment of a Catholic woman quietly praying on the streets of Philadelphia. Hurling insults at the woman’s age, appearance, and religious faith; the legislator goes on to call for viewers and interested parties to find the woman’s home address, (doxing), and to harass her en masse at her home.
But wait, it gets worse - another live-stream video of Sims has been discovered in which he harasses three young girls ages 13 to 15 years old. In this new video, Sims again uses his title as an elected official to put out a public call for the home addresses of three young teenage girls – and this time he offers to pay $100 for each address so that these children can be harassed at their homes.
As a result of Sims’ stunning abuse of power, against the weakest of our society - an elderly woman and three children – demonstrates not only a complete disregard for the United States Constitution, but also at least three Pennsylvania State laws.
Let’s start with Sims’ Constitutional violations:
1. The revocation of Freedom of Speech – by harassing and threatening the people peacefully praying, Sims is attempting to use his governmental power to silence their right to free speech.
2. Revocation of the establishment clause part 1 – in condemning the women’s preferred Church and the free exercise of their religion, Sims is issuing a de facto establishment of religion– “no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof “
3. The revocation of the 4th Amendment right for innocent, law abiding citizens to be secure in their own homes – Sims asks his viewers for help in finding and releasing the women & children’s home address Title 18, Part II, Article F, Chapter 57, Subchapter B of 18 Pennsylvania Constitution Statute 5703 requires two party consent for any recording of voice or video. Not only did none of the women in the two videos offer consent, the older woman in the first video repeatedly demanded Sims leave her. Furthermore, children under the age of 18 cannot legally give consent and therefore it was illegal for Sims to record those children at all
2. Cyber-bullying-18 Pennsylvania Constitution Statute Ann. 2709 makes it illegal to use the internet, (where Sims posted his videos), in a threatening manner intended to alarm, harass or annoy a victim. Sims make
3. Conspiracy to commit a crime-42 PA C.S. 5552 and US Code 371 – in issuing a public offer to pay $100 to anyone who finds and releases the women and children’s’ addresses for the purpose of intimidation and harassment, Sims is actively seeking conspirators – i.e. conspiracy to commit a crime.
Our United States Constitution was literally written to prevent exactly these kinds of abuses of power by government officials. Yet 243 years later, Rep. Brian Sims has demonstrated he simply doesn’t care about the rule of law nor does he have any intention of honoring the sworn oath he took to protect and defend both the Pennsylvania and the United States Constitutions.
But most of all, what Sims does that is so troubling is he repeatedly announces his title as a State official to emphasize and demonstrate his power over this helpless women and children.
We’ve seen this story before, and not surprisingly it always comes from the Democrats – just like the Obama Administration leveled it’s weighty resources against a bunch of housewives intent on preserving the constitution, (IRS vs. Tea Party), or against Mrs. Catherine Englebrecht and her family against whom Obama deployed the IRS, FBI, ATF, OSHA in an apparent effort to bankrupt and silence Mrs. Englebrecht and her family over Englebrecht’s non-partisan efforts to fight voter fraud, (Obama vs True the Vote); Democrat Sims is simply playing by the party playbook – tyranny. Its time to stop them.
The Pennsylvania Legislature needs to immediately and formally censure Rep. Brian Sims and condemn his illegal actions, and the Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, as well as the US Department of Justice need to take immediate action to protect both the rule of law as well as those innocent women and children Mr. Sims so recklessly and purposefully targeted.
And let me just offer a word to the ACLU here – for An organization who’s very existence is founded on defending Constitutional rights against a tyrannical government - you’re blowing it.
Stephani Scruggs
A noted writer, speaker and political analyst, Stephani has advised several Presidential candidates, a United Nations Ambassador, several Attorneys General, Congress and the current Administration on developing pro-growth policies, international trade, currency manipulation and budget issues, as well as prolife and cannabis policies.
Follow her @StephaniScruggs