Scuzzball Reporters

Mark Fisher writes: "Virginia state Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, a Republican from Fairfax County, is one of the press corps' favorite lawmakers in Richmond. He's no great statesman, but he's got a penchant for taking the outrages of daily life and concocting some way to write new laws about them.

"Lately, Cuccinelli is bothered by "scuzzball reporters out there who don't have a shred of human decency to give a flying rat's tail about the condition or feelings or circumstances of families" who've suffered some tragedy. Cuccinelli is offended by the sight of press hacks descending on citizens who've lost a loved one in some crime, fire or accident, so he's decided it should be illegal for reporters–or anyone else, for that matter– to visit such families.

"His Senate Bill 1120 would deem criminal anyone who enters onto someone's private property within a week after the owner's family 'suffered a substantial personal, physical, mental, or emotional loss, injury, or trauma.'" (Via Romenesko)

This bill, obviously, will never fly, but I got to thinking about that part of the job. I typically find people ready and willing to share their grief, so long as I'm polite. Anybody have any horror stories?