Republican and Tea Party candidate Joe Miller of Alaska got some unwanted publicity when two off-duty soldiers working as bodyguards tried to arrest a journalist asking questions of the U.S. Senate candidate.

 

Providing security at the town-hall event were Sergeant Alexander Valdez, 31, and Army Specialist Tyler Ellingboe, 22, who had taken jobs with Drop Zone, a local surplus store and protection service. After Miller finished speaking and left the auditorium, Alaska Dispatch editor and founder Tony Hopfinger pursued the GOP nominee and peppered him with questions about

his employment at a law firm that disciplined him for using government computers for partisan activity.

 

The two security guards then handcuffed and detained Hopfinger, and tried to prevent two other reporters from filming the arrest. Drop Zone’s owner, William Fulton, said the guards believed Hofinger was trespassing and accused the journalist of assault, after he allegedly shoved someone.

 

Fulton declared a citizen’s arrest of Hopfinger, but the journalist was released once local police arrived and assessed the situation.

 

Valdez and Ellinboe are assigned to the 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Richardson. A local Army spokesman said the two soldiers did not have permission from their superiors to moonlight for Drop Zone.

 

Maj. Bill Coppernoll, a public affairs officer for the Army, told the Anchorage Daily News that soldiers are allowed to take outside employment if they don’t risk injury, affect their readiness or the "good order" and discipline of their unit.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Miller Bodyguards at Forum Included Active-Duty Soldiers (by Richard Mauer, Anchorage Daily News)

Soldiers in Alaska Tea Party Fracas (by Bryant Jordan, Military.com)